Ancient Egyptian Forum

[Casey]

I think i've decided to set my book during Tut's reign. Does anyone know/have a view, on what the common people thought of him? I mean, i know there was much disapproval of Akhenaten's heresy and many would have welcomed Tut's (well, Ay's and Horemheb's) resurrection of the old religion with many gods - but at the same time, i know that Akhenaten's changes, to worship the sungod only, really didn't affect the lower classes, they kept on worshipping their many gods anyway- so would they have seen Tut as some kind of hero or not? Was he a popular king??

any views appreciated.

Casey

[Google]

[Osiris II]

It's hard to say, really. Judging from the lavish burial, he was very much loved by his peers, especially, it seems, by his queen. Was he loved by his people? It's really an unknown. Besides his re-naming himself and re-establishing the old worships, it seems that quite a few public works were done in his name. It must be remembered, though. Most Pharaohs were not even seen, much less becoming a favorite of the public. There are, of course, exceptions. The most popular that comes to mind immediately is Rameses II. If for nothing else, his long reign would have made him a king to quite a few people's lifetime. Tutankhamen didn't have that longitivity, dying at an early age and hastily buried. Actually, we know more of his private, personal life than the average Egyptian!

[Casey]

Thanks for that, Osiris II. I was considering setting it during the reign of Ramses II, but i find the whole Ak/Tut thing more interesting - although, having said that, i can't believe Ramses II lived and reigned for so long, amazing considering the times.

Hmm, I guess you are right, the pharoah would have been very detached from the common person.

It's proving a lot harder than i thought, writing about everyday egyptians. Suppose the lack of concrete info available gives me more poetic license though.

Cheers.

Casey

[Shepeskaf the Cool]

before akhnaton, the majority ofnthe people of egypt were mortguaged to the various temples, Akhnaton stripped the priests of their powers so this probably made him popular with the middle classes.
Part way through tut's reign he changed his name & reinstated the old gods, & the powers of the priests, so the latter yhalf of his reign was probably not poular with the middle classes. This could be the reason why such a short lived king could have such an expensive funeral, the priests now had their hands on the debts again.
_________________
If you listen very carefully, you can hear the gods are laughing.

[Casey]

Thanks for that, i hadn't thought about that.

I just read on one site that Akhenaton was poisoned by the old priests - ? - that's news to me - and that that would be why Tut brought back the old religion, he didn't want the same happening to him.

So many ifs and buts! A lot of websites contradict each other.

Casey

[Meresankh]

I'd say there's a good chance that Akhenaten was killed. I'm not sure how but there must have been no shortage of folks that were not happy with him and his ideas, to say the least.

[Casey]

Hmm, it's like the death of Tut - several sites say he died of gangrene after a charioteering injury on his leg. Now, Ay, was Master of the Horses and head of charioteering for a while - so putting 2 and 2 together (and probably making 5!) he could have certainly had something to do with the young king's death.

Fascinating stuff - just a shame we'll never really know.

Casey

[tnrees]

Its possible although -
1) it must have been like a teenager with the worlds fastest sports car
2) How much actual involvement would people with title like 'master of the chariots' actualy have to do with the chariots?

[Osiris II]

At this point, as you say, we'll probably never know for sure what caused the Death of Tutankhamen. There have been numerous theories--a blow to the head (disproved), poison, a chariot injury (planned or unplanned).
As tnrees says though, just because Aye was, at one time, Master of the Chariots, it was more than likely an honorary title, he did not work with the chariots and horses!
A more likely happening was a planned accident. The broken bones show a healing had begun, so he must have lived for a time after the accident. Perhaps a slight push over the edge, in the form of a poisoning of some sort, "helped" him on his final journey!
Whatever the final cause, it is quite sad in retrospect. To have such a young couple living in such terror and threat all of the time. I wonder what happened--finally--to his queen? There is a ring that suggests a marriage between her and Aye, and the letters to the Hittite king asking for a son in marriage obviously failed--he was killed on his journey to Egypt. She disappeared from public mention shortly after Aye gained the throne. Another "unexpected" death? Her mummy or tomb has never been found.

[Meresankh]

Yes. There were a lot of 'unexplained' sudden deaths, weren't there

[Shepeskaf the Cool]

Take a look at some of the stuff comimng out of telldfu, it was a provincial capital & they are finding everyday things, recent excavations include granaries with layers of ash & sand for protection against insects.
_________________
If you listen very carefully, you can hear the gods are laughing.

[tnrees]

Where can you find information on Telldfu?

[Shepeskaf the Cool]

spelling mistake its tell edfu

http://homepage.mac.com/nadinemoeller/Menu5.html

http://egyptology.blogspot.com/2008/06/
more-re-ancient-egyptian-administrative.html

http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/07/01/1177846.aspx
_________________
If you listen very carefully, you can hear the gods are laughing.

[adleer]

For more informative information about King Tut and the mummy under X-Ray test go to http://famouspharaohs.blogspot.com/2007/10/tutankhamun-1334-1325-b.html

[tnrees]

Should have said earlier - good sites - thanks for recomending them