Ancient Egyptian Forum

aeolian_jewel · Tomb Robber Joined: 23 Feb 2003 Posts: 1

Hi I'm doing a focus question on Amenhotep III. The question is:

"What was wrong with Amenhotep III?"

Right now I have no idea what to write. From what I've read, his reign was peaceful and prosperous. If anyone has any ideas please let me know. Maybe he had a disease? or I was thinking something along the lines of Amenhotep III started the Aten cult which his son Akhnaten later worshipped. But I don't have much information to work with. If anyone can help me that would be great thanks! Thanks!

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Akhenaten · Posted: Sun Feb 23, 2003 7:22 pm Post subject:

What was wrong with Amunhotep III? That's a different question.

Lets see.... It is rumored that he started the cut of the Aten, or at least gave an idea of it to his son, Amunhotep IV (Later Akhenaten). In his artistic style, I find that it looks similar to the Amarna art style used by Akhenaten later, and very closely resembles the artistry during the reign of Tutankhamen, son of Akhenaten.

Other than that, I don't think anything was really WRONG with him, he just had different viewpoints on matters. Ramses II didn't think anythign was wrong with him, he pretty much used him as a guideline to his own rule, doing the same kind of things that Amunhotep III had done, except on a larger scale (To learn more about this, read "The Lost Tomb" by Kent Weeks.)

For more information on Amunhotep III, you may want to read "Cronicle of the Pharaohs."
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-Akhenaten-

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Actually there are a couple things that set Amenhotep III off as being wrong.

1st He married Tiye the daughter of court officals possibly related to his mother.
2nd He made Tiye Great Royal Wife.
3rd While living he had himself deitified as the Nubian God of the Moon.
4th He allowed no art work of his sons to be done.
5th He refused to let a brother king marry one of his daughters even though he had married one of that brother king's sisters.
6th It is questionable if he ever married one of his sisters. His Queen Sitamun is often considered to be his daughter by Queen Tiye. But there is another view that she was actually his youngest sister, a daugher of Thutmosis IV raised by Queen Tiye's mother.
7th He may have married his daughter.

There is growing befief by some experts that while still Amenhotep III even went so far as to claim himself as the Aten. The Aten was first brought to importance by Amenhotep's father.

Neb-Ma'at-Re · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 690

Wasn't he a bit overweight as well? His cholesteral was probably a bit high too...lol
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Sitamun · Servant Joined: 03 Feb 2004 Posts: 5 Location: MD

Do you mean health wise what was wrong with him?
What is thought to be his mummy shows an overweight man with worn and abscessed teeth. Amenhotep III's last years were thought to be spent in ill health one reason he dedicated so many statues to the goddess Sekhmet was to appease her to heal his health problems.
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Sitamun

Neb-Ma'at-Re · Pharaoh Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 690

This may also be the reason for why he held three heb-Sed festivals in a 7 year span (year 30, 34, 37). The Heb-Sed festival was a renewal, regeneration, and reinvigoration of the Pharaoh. If he was ailing, in an attempt to reverse, or at least give the impression of a reversal of health, he held an additonal two Heb-Seds after the traditional 30 year jubilee...???
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Meritaton · Posted: Fri Feb 13, 2004 10:45 am Post subject: Re: Amenhotep III