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#161
February 10th, 2012, 11:57 AM
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Great update, just a few questions:
Are Ra and the Aten the same deity? I was under the impression that they were separate gods, but above you say God's name is Ra and Aten is its physical body. Is this part of the expanded theology to reconcile the religious differences? You mentioned earlier that this timeline is going to continue into the present, are you planning on continuing in this level of depth? Because to cover over 3300 years in this level of depth seems like a pretty extreme undertaking to me! 
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#162
February 10th, 2012, 01:40 PM
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Whether that writing system is more widely adopted is another question.
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#163
February 10th, 2012, 03:37 PM
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#164
February 10th, 2012, 11:09 PM
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Oh, and congratulations on the 10,000 hits.
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Jonathan Edelstein "Who is wise? He who learns from all." -- Ben Zoma, Pirkei Avot 4:1
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#165
February 11th, 2012, 05:46 AM
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 Many thanks.
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#166
February 11th, 2012, 06:43 PM
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Also, remember that the Aten passes through the Duat each night, with the souls of the departed with Ra on his celestial barge... The idea is that they are, in fact, evangelizing the dead from the safety of the solar barque's deck every night (and no, they know no fear, pain, or suffering, because once one accepts the Ba of God into one's heart, one is immune to such things). So even if a departed soul isn't illuminated by living relatives, they still have the opportunity to be redeemed every night.
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The Turtledove-winning (Best New Ancient TL 2012!) Realm of Millions of Years is my main project. Feel free to ask me about ancient Egypt.
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#167
February 11th, 2012, 07:12 PM
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Forgive me if this question has already been asked, but I'm curious.
Among observers from different polytheist traditions, it has been known that foreign gods are seen as the observer's gods, just under different names (Hence, for example, the Romans merging their gods with the Olympians). The Atenists are, ultimately, sun worshippers, so will they see other sun gods as their true god? Basically, will we see something like "These pagans are very ignorant-but at least they worship the sun (and therefore Aten) above all".
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#168
February 12th, 2012, 01:54 AM
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Suffice to say, there will be differences of opinion on the matter. There is definitely a LOT of solar imagery in Atenism, so Atenists will tend (but not universally) to see non-Atenist sun worshippers as "closer to the truth" than other pagans, but tolerance will have its limits, and those limits will be fluid depending on the time and place.
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The Turtledove-winning (Best New Ancient TL 2012!) Realm of Millions of Years is my main project. Feel free to ask me about ancient Egypt.
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#169
February 12th, 2012, 02:10 AM
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The Realm of Millions of Years The World of an Atenist Egypt Chapter 12 Isfet in the Nubias  “Of the Great King... it is said: The gold is in your land like the dust…” - Excerpt from a letter sent by king Ashuruballit of Assyria to Amenhotep III  The grey line is the approximate boundary between Egypt proper and Nubia (i.e. "Here be Dragons - And Conjecture!") Ikuyta – The Nubian Mining Region Year 19 Under His Majesty King of Upper and Lower Egypt Neferkheperure-Waenre, Son of Ra Akhenaten Given Life, Stability, and Dominion The sun was like a relentless wind, pounding every exposed inch of Autdjeretpaaten’s skin. The shirt of bronze mail that he wore was stifling; it felt as though he was being cooked alive inside his own clothing. He knew that the armor was meant to protect him, but for a young man who had spent his entire life in the cool, perfumed gardens of Akhet-Aten, it felt as though it would be what killed him instead. The chariot trundled over a bump, and Autdjeretpaaten was made acutely aware of his lightheadedness. He gripped the railing to steady himself and was blinded for a second as his lilting exposed his eyes directly to the harsh, piercing rays of the sun. He felt warm sweat trickle from under his leather helmet down the nape of his neck, then slither like a serpent under the mail and down his spine. In a stupor akin to one awoken abruptly from the depths of sleep, the son of Iahames-Paatennakhtef fumbled for the skin of water on his belt. He brought it up to his lips with his right hand, his left still on the railing, and clumsily coaxed the last of the water from within it. It was warm, it tasted of stale leather, and his throat was so dry that he choked on it. More of it went down his front than down his throat. With a groan, he ordered the runner assigned to his chariot to fetch him a fresh water skin. No sooner had the man begun running back down the line, than another chariot pulled along Autdjeretpaaten’s other side. “Hey, Autdjeretpaaten!” Said Paramessu, “Leave some water for the men! You drink it up faster than the desert sand!” The young man said through a chuckle. “He’s like a child…” Said another voice, just loud enough for Autdjeretpaaten to hear it. Prince Tutankhaten had also doubled back now, and was gleefully breaking the monotony with Paramessu by engaging in one of the pair’s favorite hobbies: mocking his cousin. “We’re almost a week up the wadi [1] and he still thinks he can feast and drink like he’s back at his mother’s villa!” “Shut your mouths…” Autdjeretpaaten retorted, hoarsely. Tutankhaten and Paramessu both laughed, and continued as though he had said nothing. “He has a point, though…” Said Paramessu with a smirk. “I wouldn’t mind a good feast right now… Some strong wine in my belly, a pretty dancer on my lap…” He guffawed obtusely at the grin on his friend’s face. “See, Tutankhaten? Even though you’re married, you still understand what I mean! I wonder if he comprehends any of it…” He added, jerking his head in Autdjeretpaaten’s direction. “Any of it?” Asked Tutankhaten, “He wouldn’t notice the dancer… His face is always wrapped in a book… And as for the wine, his father has forbidden him to touch it!” “He has?” Paramessu asked, grinning obtusely. “Yes!” Tutankhaten continued. “And he obeys – not that he’d be able to handle it anyway – because he’s afraid of his father!” “I’m afraid of his father!” Said Paramessu through a laugh that was not entirely in jest. The two friends cackled maniacally. Autdjeretpaaten bit back his tongue. The runner returned, a fresh water skin sloshing at his side. He held it up to the prince in his chariot, and Autdjeretpaaten snatched it up irritably. Then, in an instant, his ears were filled with the impending return of his cousin’s laughter, and with equal venom he tossed the water skin back down to the ground with a snort. He regretted it instantly, as the sun’s heat seemed to magnify in that moment – a punishment for his prideful outburst. Mere minutes passed, but it seemed like hours. The crunching of sandals on stones, sand, and grit mixed with the din of clattering spears, quivers, bows, shields, and swords, sounding to Autdjeretpaaten like pebbles cascading onto a stone floor in his head. To make matters worse, Tutankhaten and Paramessu had progressed from tormenting him to singing – and they were considerably better at the former. “… High is her neck, Resplendent are her breasts, Of pure lapis is her hair! Her arms surpass even gold, Like lotus flowers are her fingers! Her buttocks are soft, her waist is slender, And her thighs extend her beauty! So charming are her movements as she strolls on the earth That she seizes my heart in her embrace! She causes the necks of all men to turn to watch her, And one who embraces her rejoices, For he is foremost among all lovers! When she goes outside she is revealed As that goddess without rival!” [2] Fantastic. Now he had a headache. Though it may very well have been to dehydration rather than the singing, he preferred to think it was the fault of the latter – he could pin the blame on his cousin and on Paramessu that way. It had been this way for nearly ten days - the constant, pitiless sunlight, the heat, the flies, the aches and pains of standing in a chariot all day. Autdjeretpaaten loathed it, and he resented his father heartily for having sent him along to this barren country of dust and barbarians. Of course, he understood why he had been sent; his father wanted him to experience a campaign, to put what he had learned to use in a drastically different environment… But Autdjeretpaaten was no soldier, and he never intended to work from an army camp again, so the whole exercise simply felt like an exercise in futility – a sweaty, uncomfortable exercise in futility. For several months, reports had been sporadically arriving in Akhet-Aten from the Nubias. The governor of Mi’am [3], who primarily oversaw the lands of Wawat and Medja [4], had been hearing word of rumblings of discontent in the mining region of Ikuyta [5]. Apparently the workers – primarily convicted criminals punished with enslavement – were becoming increasingly insubordinate. Then, it seemed as though some mining operations had ceased entirely, the slaves up in arms. The workers used stolen gold to bribe local tribes, and soon a full-blown rebellion of slaves and Nubian tribesman had Ikuyta by the throat. This simply could not be permitted – Ikuyta was the heart of gold mining in the mountainous deserts east of the Nubias. Without Nubian gold, Egypt was virtually powerless; the Empire was largely built on the leverage it wielded by being able to scatter gold among the subordinate kings and princes of lesser nations like crumbs of bread tossed before a flock of hungry pigeons. If the rebellion were ignored, it would grow larger and more unmanageable until it had a stranglehold on the Egyptian economy. The rebels could literally hold the wealth of the Empire hostage.  Ancient Egyptian map of the Nubian Mining Region Akhenaten had favored appeasement – he did not want a repeat of Retjenu; he did not want more bloodshed on the soil of the Aten’s country. But when the Egyptian messengers sent up Ikuyta’s primary wadi were sent back without their heads, there was very little else that could be done. The rebels wanted a fight, and if other apart from the Lord of the Two Lands could have their way (Iahames, for instance), that’s precisely what they would get. Tutankhaten and Paramessu were inducted into the army as generals – it was they, along with the elder general Ay [6], who would lead the assault. Autdjeretpaaten, after a lengthy session of being yelled at by his father, would accompany them. It was also decided that princess Meryetaten, a newly initiated Chantress of the Aten, would accompany the expedition to perform the necessary rites for the Aten each dawn and each dusk. The generals would take a small contingent of elite troops from Akhet-Aten and sail south to Baki [7], in the heart of Wawat. In Baki, they would join with contingents from the garrisons of the fortresses at Buhen and Heh [8] and begin the long march up Wadi Allaqi, into the heart of Ikuyta where the rebels sat in wait. Akhenaten's last words to them before the boat had departed from the docks at the royal quayside had been succinct: "Be merciful". The journey to Baki had not been unpleasant. Autdjeretpaaten had seen the ancient city of Khent-Min, the still magnificent (if drastically out of favor) former royal capital at Waset, the city of Nekhen (which was older than the union of the Two Lands itself), and the Isle of Abu at Swenut [9], the island that marked the traditional boundary between Egypt and the Nubias. Of course, that boundary was meaningless now; the Lower Nubias, Wawat and Medja, were for all practical purposes now mere extensions of Upper Egypt. The people of Medja, the Medjay, served throughout Egypt as a caste of city guards [10]. It was said that in Mi’am, the seat of Egyptian authority in the Lower Nubias since the days of Autdjeretpaaten and Tutankhaten’s distant ancestors, the Nubian inhabitants dressed as Egyptians and took Egyptian names. Apparently a similar trend was gripping the Upper Nubias as well; one could go to Kerma or Napata and be blissfully unaware that one had entered a foreign land. But the small flotilla had not needed to go as far south even as Mi’am. As was the plan, they disembarked at Baki, where the bulk of the army had already gathered. Then, the torturous march that Autdjeretpaaten had endured for nine days had begun. The lush river valley had ended violently – at its edge Autdjeretpaaten had been able to stand with one foot on cool, living grass, and the other on scorching, lifeless sand. They had entered what was known as the “Red Land” [11], the corpselike antithesis of the living, vibrant “Black Land”. In the Red Land, the Nubian tribes did not dwell in cities and villages, as those along the River had done well before the Egyptians had swept in with their bows and spears. Here, the tribes were nomadic, prospecting for gold and gems on behalf of the Lord of the Two Lands, serving as mercenaries in His Majesty’s army, or rearing the occasional flock of hardy livestock and coaxing anything of value from the harsh land (ranging from animal hides to ostrich eggs and feathers) that they might sell in the markets of Mi’am, Kerma, or Napata. The Chieftain of Ibhet was foremost among these wandering clan leaders. The tribes that gathered to hear him speak were many, and he had long been content to lend his warriors to the Lord of the Two Lands to fight on distant fields in return for his people being left unmolested by the Egyptian conquest. The rebel slaves, however, had apparently been unaware of the Chieftain’s special relationship with His Majesty, and had attempted to bribe him to come over to their side. But the Chieftain was a man of honor, who had never been slighted by the Egyptians and had no desire to incur their wrath, and so he had sent the rebel emissaries away. This had been what had brought a number of the other tribes, the enemies of Ibhet, into the rebel fold, and that in turn had been what had pushed the Chieftain to break his camp in his homeland and journey north through Wadi Allaqi. The Egyptians and Ibhet’s Nubians had met in the wadi on the third day of the Egyptian army’s march to Ikuyta. Ceremonies were observed; the Chieftain of Ibhet bowed seven times and seven times before Tutankhaten, the heir of Neferkheperure-Waenre, and then the prince had bade him to rise. Tutankhaten had liked the Chieftain immediately – in his battle-scarred form he saw a man of action, in his demeanor he saw a man of honor and loyalty, in his white bands of war paint he saw the mercenaries who had captured his attention so utterly as a child on campaign in Retjenu; and of course, he saw another weapon to wield against the rebels. Tutankhaten had enthusiastically accepted the tribes of Ibhet into the army, and the march had continued deeper into the heart of Ikuyta along the dry natural road of the Wadi Allaqi. Every night, the council of generals had convened, the Chieftain among them. Autdjeretpaaten had frequented these meetings (knowing that Ay would notify Iahames if he were absent), but he had mostly sulked in the corner of the tent on those evenings, offering his opinion only when solicited, which it rarely was. “The love of my beloved is on yonder shore, But the River would engulf my limbs, For the waters are mighty in the time of Akhet [12] And a crocodile lurks on the bank! But I shall go down to the water And plunge into the waves! My heart is fearless in the flood, And I have found the crocodile to be like a mouse, And the surface of the water like land to my legs! It is her love that empowers me And will be for me a spell against the water, For I see my heart’s beloved Standing right before my face! My beloved has come and my heart exults! My arms open wide to embrace her, And my heart is joyful within my breast Like a fish in its pond. Oh night, may you last for an eternity, For my mistress has come to me!” Autdjeretpaaten heard a musical laugh echoing behind him. “Oh Aten… That song… They’re murdering it!” It was his other cousin, princess Meryetaten, who spoke. She had been near the back of the long line of troops, but had apparently made her way to the front. She smiled at Autdjeretpaaten, her golden collar and earrings glittering in the sunlight. “You dropped this…” She said confidently after a moment, holding out the water skin that Autdjeretpaaten had thrown to the ground moments before. Autdjeretpaaten cast a surreptitious glance past Meryetaten; Tutankhaten and Paramessu were still butchering various love songs, and the other charioteers were beginning to join in. Quickly, when their gazes were averted, he reached across the gap between the two chariots and took the water skin from Meryetaten’s hands. “Praise the Aten for you…” He said, after quenching his thirst on half the skin and hiding it behind his shield, which rested on the chariot floor. Meryetaten giggled, shaking her head to move some braided strands of hair out of the way as wiped her glistening brow. “You should just ignore them, you know…” She said sweetly. “It’s the heat, I’m sure… It’s bothering them too. They don’t mean what they say.” She offered another conciliatory smile. Autdjeretpaaten said nothing; he just stared at his younger cousin awkwardly for a second then shook his head. “They’re always like that…” He said at last. “Remember what His Majesty always says…” Said Meryetaten in an almost matronly manner. “We’re all family… Though we may not always see eye to eye, if we trust in the Aten and accept his love into our hearts, eventually we will only see one another for our virtues; our faults will be of no consequence.” “Paramessu is not family…” Muttered Autdjeretpaaten. “By blood? No… But we are all children of the Aten, Autdjeretpaaten… What is done to one is done to all, and eventually both Paramessu and you must come to face that reality…” Meryetaten continued talking, but Autdjeretpaaten didn’t hear it. He was lost in a brief moment of ecstasy as a shadow fell across him, offering sweet reprieve from the sun’s blinding light. He looked up expecting to see a cloud, or perhaps a well places rock jutting off the edge of the cliffs on either side of the wadi. He was unpleasantly surprised. “Look out!” He didn’t even hear himself shout the words. All he knew is that one moment his gaze was wandering over the cliffs, and the next he had grabbed his shield from the chariot floor and raised it with both his hands above his head, covering himself and Meryetaten. He had raised it up the wrong way, concave side with the straps facing outward, but it had done its job; as soon as he brought it up a force nearly knocked it out of his hands. He brought it down and saw an arrow embedded in the wood, the shaft still shuddering from the impact. Three chariots behind him, the son of a noble let out a shout; his driver had gone down, an arrow through his eye. Autdjeretpaaten looked up at the cliffs. One by one, figures were appearing there, bows in hand and arrows ready to launch. They had walked into an ambush.  Nubian Warriors ************************************************** *************** The details of the rebellion that occurred in Ikuyta in OTL toward the close of Akhenaten’s reign are sketchy... By which I mean there aren’t very many at all beyond “a rebellion occurred then, the Viceroy of Kush was ordered to put it down, he did so, and everyone got married, had sixteen children, and lived happily ever after” (or something like that)… The reaction to the problem in TTL is different due to Egypt having far more proactive leadership, but the details of the rebellion itself and the actors in the area from the perpetrators to the Chieftain of Ibhet are entirely made up due to the sheer dearth of reliable information on the subject. However, given the decades that have passed since the POD, I think we can feasibly blame butterflies for that. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [1] A dry riverbed, carved by flash floods. The wadi in question is called Wadi Allaqi in OTL, and in ancient times was a natural road into the heart of the eastern Nubian mining region. [2] Gotta love the old classics…  [3] OTL Aniba [4] The regions between the 1st and 2nd / 2nd and 3rd cataracts of the Nile, respectively. [5] Roughly corresponding to OTL’s Hala’ib Triangle. [6] Who, if you recall, is the father of Nefertiti and Mutbenret, and Tutankhaten’s grandfather. [7] OTL Quban [8] Both of these colossal ancient fortresses, utterly impregnable for their day, are now at the bottom of Lake Nasser. [9] OTL Elephantine Island; Swenut is the ancient Egyptian name of modern Aswan. [10] The “Medjay”, as they continued to be known even after many of them ceased to be drawn from the inhabitants of Medja, constituted what has been described as the world’s first police force. [11] “Desheret” in Ancient Egyptian; a word creepily similar to “desert”. [12] Akhet: The season in the ancient Egyptian calendar associated with the yearly inundation.
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The Turtledove-winning (Best New Ancient TL 2012!) Realm of Millions of Years is my main project. Feel free to ask me about ancient Egypt.
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#170
February 12th, 2012, 08:57 AM
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Oh dear. They got ambushed by rebel Nubians. Will this result in another series of thorough and brutal purges - this time focused on rebel slave gold miners and rebel Nubian tribes? Will it also lead to Atenism being spread throughout the Nubias by "encouraging" Nubians (i.e. through swordpoint/spearpoint/arrowpoint)?
Please let me know. Anyway, please keep up the good work. Thanks you. 
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#171
February 12th, 2012, 02:50 PM
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So this is where Tutankhaten becomes a hero, is it?
Meryetaten's presence could be significant, if it sets a precedent of a high-ranking chantress (or even, in some cases, the Adoratrix herself) accompanying all military campaigns to ensure that religious strictures are complied with. There could be clashes of authority in the future between military commanders and their religious minders, and the religious hierarchy may also be in a position to make on-the-spot decisions about things like treatment of prisoners and evangelization of conquered countries.
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Jonathan Edelstein "Who is wise? He who learns from all." -- Ben Zoma, Pirkei Avot 4:1
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#172
February 12th, 2012, 03:34 PM
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Exciting chapter! Let's hope the Egyptians put down the Nubians!
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When Western Europeans conquer, it's called uplifting the natives. When anyone else does the conquering, it's called barbarism.
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#175
February 13th, 2012, 03:17 AM
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The Turtledove-winning (Best New Ancient TL 2012!) Realm of Millions of Years is my main project. Feel free to ask me about ancient Egypt.
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#176
February 13th, 2012, 03:33 AM
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I'm not making you wait a week for the outcome...
The Realm of Millions of Years The World of an Atenist Egypt Chapter 13 The Taste of Victory is Sweeter than Honey  Wadi Allaqi  The Nubian ambushers were firing their arrows with deadly precision into the shocked and confused throng of Egyptian troops below. Whenever an arrow reached its mark, shouts and ululations of triumph could be heard from the cliffs above. Some of the Egyptian charioteers gathered their senses more quickly than others and began to return fire, while the infantry who were not equipped with bows ducked behind their shields, unsure of what to do other than wait for the hail of arrows to stop like a passing rain. Autdjeretpaaten was still staring dumbfounded at the arrow lodged in the wrong side of his shield. He had hoisted it up at just the right time; it would have sailed right past him and into Meryetaten otherwise. A lurch brought him back to earth. His driver was attempting to turn the chariot around, but a column of cowering infantry blocked them on one side, just as Meryetaten’s chariot impeded them on the other. “Keep going forward!” A voice yelled over the din of jeering Nubians and the confused yelps of the Egyptians. It was Tutankhaten’s voice. The prince had drawn his khopesh sword and was thrusting it forward into the air, urging his troops onward. “Keep moving! There’s a hill ahead where they can’t get you!” The prince continued shouting. Autdjeretpaaten shielded his eyes against the glare of the sun and peered ahead. Sure enough, in the centre of the wadi’s trail, there was a squat, but long hill. When the valley flooded in flash rainstorms it would be an island. On this hot day, it could very well be the Egyptian vanguard’s salvation. The infantry didn’t need to be told twice. Covering as much of their bodies as possible with their shields, they began running for cover, their standard bearers and officers desperately trying to keep them from panicking. “We need to get behind that hill!” Autdjeretpaaten shouted at his driver. The man nodded and snapped the reins, and the chariot lurched forward again. Behind him, Autdjeretpaaten heard Meryetaten give her driver a similar order. The two chariots sped past one infantry column, catching up with the ones at the very front of the vanguard’s line. All around him, Autdjeretpaaten heard the tapping sound of arrows embedding themselves in shields, cries of pain from soldiers as they were hit, and occasionally a scream from the cliffs followed by the thud of a body hitting the canyon floor as an Egyptian arrow took an ambusher down. As they neared the hill, several dozens of infantrymen broke formation and threw caution to the wind, running for the safety of the natural cover. They were running to their deaths. More warriors, armed not only with bows but also spears and axes, emerged from behind the hill. They were not solely Nubians, but also armed slaves from the mines. Their battle cries froze some of the Egyptians in their tracks, leaving them to be knocked down almost immediately by arrows. Others drew their swords, axes, and spears, but out of formation they were weakened, and the rebels cut them down. It was then that Autdjeretpaaten noticed precisely how bad his situation was. They could not turn back, and even if they could there was only a hail of arrows in that direction anyway… And where they had though to find safety there was a mob of frenzied warriors. He gulped. His throat was bone dry. He needed a drink again – preferably something stronger than water. However, despite having been surprised a second time, the Egyptians were not incompetent. Many more soldiers had stayed in formation than had broken it, and they now raised their shields in a wall and began marching steadily forward, their spears stabbing outward at any rebel rushing in to break their ranks. The rebels themselves were also gathering, however, and like a wave they all suddenly rushed toward the Egyptian line. The Egyptians dug in, bracing themselves. The wave crashed into the line. Egyptians and rebels alike fell to the dust. Some of the assailants were launched overhead on shields, others impaled on spears. Other times, the defenders missed their marks, and were themselves skewered by the attackers. Hands wielding axes and swords hacked and slashed at each other from behind raised shields. Combat quickly degenerated from line-to-line to man-to-man; the foot of the hill was a throng of bloody activity. A line of Egyptian charioteers thundered past Autdjeretpaaten, letting their arrows fly either up toward the ambushers on the cliffs or into the crowd of warriors on the ground. They were moving to circle around the rebel ground ambush, trying to pick them off from behind at a distance. Autdjeretpaaten urged his driver to keep pace with them, and called to Meryetaten to do the same. They had a better chance blending into the charioteers than sitting out in the open behind the ground battle – at least according to Autdjeretpaaten’s thinking. The utterly out of place young man began looking around wildly. Where was Tutankhaten? Where was Paramessu? Looking back, he saw their backs in the distance. They were urging their chariots back down the line, away from the hill, past the ambushers. They were running away. Autdjeretpaaten swore in fury, barely hearing a cry of warning from Meryetaten. He spun around trying to face her, but before the movement could be completed he felt a pain unlike any he had felt before in his right shoulder. An arrow had caught him there, and with a cry he staggered backward, tripping over his driver’s feet and stumbling out of his chariot onto the floor of the wadi. He rolled as he landed, the shaft of the arrow snapping off and his head striking the ground with a thud that caused stars to flicker and dance before his eyes. Darkness also flashed in spurts before Autdjeretpaaten’s field of vision. He felt his own blood trickling from a gash on his forehead. When was the last time I injured myself at all? He found himself thinking. I think I skinned my knee once when I was seven… In a moment of lucidity, he tried to sit up. He felt the ground shudder as a chariot roared past him. He could still move his right arm, but the searing pain in his shoulder made that action almost prohibitively painful. He saw a dead man laying face down next to him, a Nubian if his antelope hide tunic and woolen dyed red hair were any indication. The dead man’s spear lay next to him, and Autdjeretpaaten grabbed it with his good arm instinctively – even that action seemed to make every muscle in his body shriek in protest. Not a moment too soon had he armed himself, as it turned out; another rebel, this one very much alive, had seen him. With a cruel grin on his face and a bloodied axe in hand, the warrior began running toward the injured Autdjeretpaaten. He raised the axe above his head as he let out a battle cry. His shoulder searing like a white-hot ember, Autdjeretpaaten seized the spear in both hands and held it horizontally between him and the rebel like a wall – a stick of wood between him and a frenzied warrior. The rebel’s axe came down, Autdjeretpaaten’s spear rose to meet it. Time seemed to slow down. The axe connected with the spear’s shaft, and the force of the collision caused Autdjeretpaaten’s shoulder to flatly give up with another flood of pain. His right arm fell, but his left arm kept pushing forward. The spear twisted around, the motion taking the axe (still embedded in the shaft) from the rebel’s hand. The back end of the shaft stuck in the ground right next to Autdjeretpaaten’s body, and the warrior’s forward motion carried him right onto the now upward facing tip with a sickening puncturing sound. Autdjeretpaaten’s spear had – entirely by accident – skewered his assailant in the gut. The rebel and the spear fell to the side together, and Autdjeretpaaten collapsed onto his back. The ground began to shudder again, and then it stopped abruptly. He felt a tug at the collar of his bronze mail shirt as Meryetaten’s driver pulled him into their chariot, and soon they rejoined the line of Egyptian charioteers as they thundered around the rebel ground army, picking them off with ranged attacks. Autdjeretpaaten cursed Tutankhaten and Paramessu for their cowardice before temporarily passing out in Meryetaten’s arms.  The Battle in the Wadi * His curses, as it turned out, were completely unwarranted. Tutankhaten and Paramessu had not been running away. Rather, they had been storming back down the vanguard line to the rearguard line headed by General Ay and Commander Ramose [1]. The rearguard was composed of skilled soldiers from the fortress at Buhen along with the supply trains and several more priestesses of the Aten, as well as the Chieftain of Ibhet and his seasoned champions. Additionally, Paramessu had remembered noticing a natural ramp leading onto the escarpment of the wadi when the vanguard had passed through that position earlier. A group of crack troops could climb up that ramp and flank the archers who were picking away at the vanguard from the cliffs up ahead. Tutankhaten and Paramessu thundered up to Ay and Ramose’s chariots, feverishly relating what was occurring up ahead. Ay ordered the rearguard to halt. “And you want to go up on the cliffs? Are you certain?” Yelled Ay when Tutankhaten told him their plan. “We’d be mad to just sit here while the vanguard is slaughtered!” Tutankhaten protested. “How numerous are the ambushers? If it’s a battle of attrition they seek, I scarcely believe they can win even that… I’m sure the vanguard alone outnumbers them three to one… We can push through. They will run out of arrows, but we cannot run out of men.” Ay protested. “I’m not arguing!” Tutankhaten snapped. “Paramessu! Ramose! Lead the Scorpion Company up to the cliffs, chariots only and at full gallop until you reach the archers not far to the east.” He turned to Ay, “Where’s the Chieftain of Ibhet?” he asked. “Farther down the line, but…” Ay spluttered, looking back at Ramose who looked hesitant to move. “In the name of His Majesty I order you to move!” Tutankhaten barked. Ramose nodded abruptly and snapped into action, issuing commands to his troops. Paramessu began leading the way up the ramp, and Tutankhaten’s driver snapped the reins of his chariot, rattling down the rearguard’s line until they reached Ibhet’s warriors. “Chieftain!” the prince called out to the Nubian leader, “Are we ready to teach these treacherous dogs a lesson?” * Tutankhaten, Paramessu, Ramose, and Ibhet’s chieftain led the charge along the cliffs toward the ambushers’ position. They noticed a carpet of bodies on the wadi floor growing progressively thicker as they neared the site where the battle below was still being waged. The Egyptian’s superior numbers and discipline had allowed them to overcome the second wave of ambushers on the ground. Though the infantry, horses and chariots, and the injured were now safely entrenched behind the hill in the center of the wadi, most of the archers and charioteers had scaled the hill and were still firing back at the Nubians on the cliff opposite. They cheered when they saw their fellows on the escarpment, thundering towards the Nubian archers in a cloud of dust. The Nubians noticed the oncoming Egyptians and fired back. Several of the charioteers and drivers went down; those behind them simply drove over them, unable to stop in time, and unable to maneuver properly on the cliff top anyway. The Egyptian chariots crashed into the Nubian line. Tutankhaten was urging them on with his sword drawn, slashing at any his chariot passed. Some Nubians were knocked off the cliffs by passing chariots, and arrows felled others. The warriors from Ibhet worked as crack mop-up troops, dealing with any rebel Nubian archers who tried to flee. After a few none too brief moment of carnage, the battle was won. Tutankhaten dismounted from his chariot, sword in one hand and shield in the other. He walked to the very edge of the precipice, surveying the Egyptian archers on the hill below. He raised his blade to the sky; it caught the glare of the sun beautifully. With a shout that reflected the joy bursting from his heart, he declared victory over the ambushers. * The floor of the wadi was abuzz with the activity associated with an Egyptian victory. The bodies of dead Egyptians were being tended to, wrapped in linen shrouds and readied for transport back down the wadi to Baki. Soldiers sought out the bodies of their slain enemies, using their daggers to sever their right hands that a tally of their numbers might be recorded. The priestesses of the Aten were weaving among the neatly arranged rows of the dead, Egyptian, Nubian, and rebel alike, waving incense burners about and reciting prayers for the departed. Meanwhile, a temporary field hospital had been set up behind the hill where the vanguard had taken refuge. The injured were being tended to with stitching, cauterization, and honey poultices [2]. Some of the injured would even need to have limbs amputated, but the physicians of Egypt were known throughout the world as the best, and many would survive that painful ordeal. Autdjeretpaaten’s injury, mercifully, did not require any amputation. There was the excruciatingly painful part of removing the arrowhead, during which he had nearly bit clean through the strip of leather the attendants had given him. Luckily, Meryetaten had been by his side for that horrible process, but even that was now passed, and though his shoulder still ached more than it ever had in his life the wound had been cleaned and dressed, and he was being reassured that he was not, in fact, “going to die”. “You were lucky…” Said his physician, a woman with a clipped, businesslike voice [3]. “… The arrow didn’t hit a single major artery. Just don’t move your arm until you return to Akhet-Aten, and once there consult with another physician their anyway before you do.” Autdjeretpaaten nodded meekly and the physician offered something resembling a smile before continuing on to her next patient. Meryetaten beamed at her as she left and then turned her attention back to Autdjeretpaaten, taking his hand gently in hers. “I need to lead the priestesses in performing the full rights for the fallen...” She said quietly, “Will you be alright here on your own?” Autdjeretpaaten only nodded meekly again, and Meryetaten kissed him on the cheek before vanishing from the physicians’ tent. It was good that he had lost blood, he thought, or he may have blushed. As Meryetaten left, Tutankhaten and Paramessu entered. “You killed a man!” Said Tutankhaten, beaming. “Everyone’s talking about it! I never suspected you to be capable of it!” Autdjeretpaaten suddenly felt as though he needed to vomit. “He’ll have battle scars too!” Paramessu chipped in cheerfully. “One on the shoulder, and one on the forehead! The girls are going to love you now!” He added, lightly punching Autdjeretpaaten’s good shoulder. “I suppose we’re related after all…” Said Tutankhaten cheekily, offering Autdjeretpaaten another grin. Yes, Autdjeretpaaten definitely needed to vomit. Luckily, he was able to hold it in until Tutankhaten and Paramessu had left, their laughter mixing with the sounds of the camp. * * * Egyptian mining camps – Ikuyta – Two days later The palace (if the term could be applied un-ironically to that building the royals in the expedition considered to be scarcely more than a shack) of the mines’ slain overseer had been appropriated as the army’s new command center. The compound had a somewhat spacious courtyard in front of the porch before the main building, and Tutankhaten was using it as a staging ground for the trials of the rebel leaders. The prince sat on the porch beneath a sunshade while Paramessu, Autdjeretpaaten (whose injured arm was in a sling), Ay, and Ramose were behind him seated on folding chairs; Meryetaten sat on a similar chair to his right, while the Chieftain of Ibhet sat to his left upon a stool covered by a leopard hide. The rebel conspirators and several of the defeated upstart Nubian chieftains (excluding those whose tribes had fled back into the desert) knelt before them, their hands tied behind their backs. An attending orderly was listing their names and crimes as a scribe recorded them for posterity (the names of those condemned would of course be altered appropriately). After the introductions had been made, the orderly barked an order and two burly guards armed with long sticks and daggers brought the first conspirator forward. He was a thin rail of a man, his long dark hair and beard thoroughly unkempt. He fidgeted and whimpered as he was made to bow before the Prince of Egypt. “Your Majesty, I’ve done nothing wrong! I swear it!” He blurted out suddenly, earning a lash across the back from one of the stick-wielding guards. “Lab’ayu of Shechem…” The orderly droned, “You are accused of conspiring against His Majesty - the Lord of the Two Lands, of fomenting unrest among the workers in Ikuyta and filling their hearts with hate for His Majesty, and of aiding the cause of Isfet against the natural order of Ma’at. Do you deny these charges?” “I am here paying a debt to His Majesty! I would never betray the Great King!” The man protested shrilly – He spoke Egyptian haltingly, and with an accent; the accent was Canaanite, and suddenly Tutankhaten remembered. “Lab’ayu!” The prince uttered. Every head turned in his direction. “You were sent here by my father, along with the traitorous dog Abdi-Ashirta… This was nine years ago, after the campaign in Retjenu… I remember you!” “Yes!” Lab’ayu spoke hoarsely. “Abdi-Ashirta didn’t last two months here… But I for my part have been sincere! I wish to repay His Majesty for his mercy, so I worked! I have done nothing wrong here! I am no conspirator! The others conspired against the Great King and have used me as a scapegoat!” He continued rapidly. The Chieftain of Ibhet raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, and leaned to speak to Tutankhaten. “This one spouts lies, oh prince…” The chieftain said calmly. “The messengers from the rebel dogs who tried to convince me to join their insurrection against His Majesty invoked this one’s name, promising me gold in return for my warriors. I expelled them from my tent with pride.” Tutankhaten nodded graciously at the Chieftain of Ibhet, shooting a disgusted look at Lab’ayu, who was quaking on his knees before him. “Once a traitor, always a traitor, Lab’ayu…” Sneered the prince. “Kill him.” He added passively to the guards. One of the pair drew his dagger; the sound of Lab’ayu’s stammering shrieks of protest filled the courtyard as the guard pulled his head back by his hair, exposing his throat. Suddenly, Meryetaten cried out… “Wait!” Tutankhaten cast a bewildered look at his sister. “What are you doing?” He inquired. “We shouldn’t kill him… His Majesty ordered us to be merciful.” She said, staring her brother down. “Meryetaten, he has betrayed His Majesty twice already… If we allow him to live, he will do so again… More will die, and Ma’at will be disturbed even further… The merciful thing to do for all is to kill him!” Meryetaten looked around dejectedly, seeking support. Her eyes met Autdjeretpaaten’s but all her cousin could offer was a blank look and a shrug. Biting her lower lip, she turned back to Tutankhaten and nodded, the motion almost imperceptible. Tutankhaten nodded in turn to the guard, who drew his dagger across Lab’ayu’s throat. The former king of Shechem’s last proclamation of innocence degenerated into a choking wheeze. The guard released him and he fell forward onto his face, his own blood pooling beneath him. After the last of his twitching ceased, two soldiers rushed forward and took the body from the courtyard. Those on the porch could hear Meryetaten utter a short prayer. “Oh you, who dwelt in darkness in this life, may you see the Aten’s light in the next!” It was not the last time that prayer would be heard that day. * * * The victory over the rebels in Ikuyta was accentuated by a triumphal tour by the heir-apparent of all the Nubias. From the mining camps, the army headed south through the lands of Ibhet, where the Chieftain of that country who had fought at Tutankhaten’s side was rewarded generously for his loyalty. The tour proceeded into the scrublands of Irem and Karoy, where the prince reveled in the experience of hunting elephants, lions, zebras, and giraffes. He even had a special shield covered in zebra hide to commemorate the experience. From Irem and Karoy, they journeyed down the River to Napata, the residence of the Viceroy of Kush. The viceroy in question was named Thutmose, the Overseer of the Gold Lands and Overseer of the Masons. His palace was as fine as that of any provincial governor in the Two Lands, and Napata could very well have been a town of Ta-Shema [4]. Just outside of Napata was the sanctuary of Diu-Waab [5] where one of Tutankhaten’s idols, the Lord of the Two Lands Menkheperre [6], had established a temple to Amen-Ra believing the mountain there (the face of which had a rock formation resembling a rearing cobra) to be the god’s home. The temple had been closed, however, on the orders of Iahames-Paatennakhtef nearly ten years prior, its priests taken to Akhet-Aten to face justice for their cult’s crimes. Tutankhaten used his triumphal tour as an excuse to announce a refurbishment and rededication of the Diu-Waab sanctuary. It gave him no small thrill to stand where Menkheperre had once stood, as he and his sister Meryetaten proclaimed that Diu-Waab would henceforth “belong to the Aten for eternity in its entirety”. The old, closed sanctuary of “the Hidden One” would be demolished, replaced by an open-court style temple to the Divine Aten, one that the people of Napata could enter freely to worship the dazzling form of the sole God, one that the priests and priestesses of the Aten could use as a base to spread the message of the Aten’s divine light throughout all the Nubias. The central feature of the restored temple would be a vast mural depicting Tutankhaten’s victory in Wadi Allaqi, the Aten shining triumphantly overhead, and an epic poem accompanying the art to declaim his heroism to all who could read it. It was here, on the freshly rededicated ground of the Diu-Waab temple, that the Egyptians and the Chieftain of Ibhet parted ways – but not before the Chieftain proclaimed that his tribe would serve the Aten forever, with several of the tribe’s women agreeing to return to Akhet-Aten to train as Chantresses of the Aten. From Napata and Diu-Waab, the royal party embarked down the River in a luxurious yacht to Kerma, the ancient seat of the Kushite kingdom that Tutankhaten’s ancestors had conquered, extending the boundaries of Egypt. Kerma, like Napata, could have been an Egyptian town… And here too Meryetaten and Tutankhaten led ceremonies to rededicate temples to the dazzling Aten. From Kerma, the party continued its northbound journey. They stopped at each of the colossal fortresses – Shaat, Heh, Buhen – These were citadels without equal, surrounded by moats and double sets of high walls that had never been breached [7]. It was at Heh, the grandest of the fortresses, that Tutankhaten beheld the boundary stone placed there by his forbearer Khakaure [8] five hundred years before he had even been born. “Year 16 of Khakaure, 3rd month of Peret [9]: the king made his southern boundary at Heh. I have made my boundary further south than my fathers. I have added to that which was bequeathed to me. As for any successor of mine who shall maintain this border, which My Majesty has made, he is my son born to my person. The true son is he who champions his father, who guards the border of his begetter. But he who abandons it, who fails to fight for it, he is not my son; he was not born to me. Now My Majesty has had an image made of My Majesty, at this border which My Majesty has made, in order that you maintain it, in order that you fight for it.”  The Fortress of Heh Tutankhaten drank of Khakaure’s words like an intoxicating beverage. As the yacht left the great fortress up the current, as they passed the cities of Mi’am and Baki, as they rounded the Isle of Abu and returned to the embrace of the Two Lands, his own legend incubated and developed in his own mind. He was the heir of Khakaure’s line! He was the begotten inheritor of Menkheperre’s legacy! At Wadi Allaqi he had begun to forge a legacy of his own, and he would ensure that it would be as grand as that of any of his forefathers. When the yacht moored at Akhet-Aten’s royal quayside, they were greeted with a thunderous ovation. Over the following days, the royal road was the sight of a grand parade. Honors were dispensed from the Bridge of Appearances. Hymns were composed to praise the Aten – and of course Tutankhaten – for the victory at Wadi Allaqi. Feasts were held, music played ceaselessly, and wine and honey mixed flowed like water. Tutankhaten had always known he was destined to be king, but it was in those days that he felt for the first time he was truly ready to take up the Sekhemty [10] and to rule as Lord of the Two Lands. What he could not know was that he would be taking up that mantle sooner rather than later.  ************************************************** *************** [1] This NOT the Ramose who served as a general during Akhenaten’s Retjenu campaign, but a different Ramose who in OTL served as standard bearer for the army company “Aten is Caused to be Satisfied”, which was mentioned in passing in Chapter 6. In TTL, the standard bearer has earned a few promotions. [2] Honey has a wide array of antiseptic properties, and was widely used in Egyptian medicine. [3] Women could, and did, practice medicine in Ancient Egypt. It was one of the few public service posts open as equally to them as it was to men. [4] Upper Egypt [5] OTL Jebel Barkal [6] Thutmose III [7] This is no hyperbole – the Ancient Egyptian forts in Nubia were works of military architecture arguably unsurpassed until the advent of medieval castles. Though they did switch owners due to political intrigues, or due to reoccupation after having been abandoned, they never fell to force of arms. It’s perhaps a cruel irony that today, as has been mentioned in the previous chapter, they now sit at the bottom of Lake Nasser. [8] Throne Name of Senusret III (reigned 1878 – 1839 BCE) of the Middle Kingdom. [9] Season in the Egyptian calendar associated with planting/tending of crops, roughly corresponding to the winter months. [10] The “Double Crown” (also called the Pschent) of Egypt that originated as a combination of the Hedjet (the “White Crown” of Upper Egypt) and the Desheret (the “Red Crown” of Lower Egypt).
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The Turtledove-winning (Best New Ancient TL 2012!) Realm of Millions of Years is my main project. Feel free to ask me about ancient Egypt.
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#177
February 13th, 2012, 05:32 AM
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So Crown Prince Tutankhaten will soon become Pharaoh, eh? Well, I hope his reign is a glorious one; and that his father Pharaoh Akhetnaten will be remembered greatly by his people and by future generations of Atenists. I am also glad to see Audjeretpaaten getting blooded and thus getting his military/warrior cred that I hope will help him when he takes over from his father. Moreover, with the Nubias and Retjenu firmly under Egyptian control will future Pharaohs be known as the Lord of the Four Lands (i.e. Upper Egypt, Lower Egypt, Retjenu (the Levant), and the Nubias)? Also, we see the the ignominious end of Lab' bayu of Schehem - couldn't happen to a more deserving fellow. And I'm glad to see the Nubian Chieftain of Ibhet and his tribe converting to Atenism, and thus spreading that faith throughout the Nubias over time. Lastly, will we see (in a future chapter) an overview of the various situations of the various kingdoms bordering Egypt and beyond, especially at the death of Pharaoh Akhetnaten and the ascension of his son Tutankhaten to the throne of Egypt? Please let me know. As always, please keep up the good work. Thanks again.
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#178
February 13th, 2012, 08:58 AM
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Very interesting couple of updates. They raise some question about the future rulers of Egypt. First of all Audjeretpaaten and Tuntankhaten do not seem as close as their parents were at that age but Audjeretpaaten does seem fairly close to the future other half of Egypt's power structure, Meryetaten. Secondly Meryetaten seems like some one who might be a tad uneasy with the violent nature of her brother and this could lead to tensions down the line. On the other hand Meryetaten does not strike me as someone who would be a master of the cut and thrust (and lack of scruples) necessary to gain power. She is clearly devout and compassionate but in asking for the life of someone of whom a moments thought could have shown her could not been spared she has shown she is rather impulsive likely taking after her father in political matters. Maybe Audjeretpaaten could fill a similar role for her as his father did for hers, a practical influence to counterpoint her compassion and devotion. Talking of devotion just how much of that is there. Most of the characters we have encountered so far (especially Meryetaten) seem sincerely loyal to the new religion but in about the lower classes. If a poor farmers child gets sick would he be likely to pray to the Aten or would it still be one of the old gods.
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Citizen of Samothrace. Last edited by Samm; February 13th, 2012 at 08:59 PM..
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#179
February 13th, 2012, 02:21 PM
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Southern Roman Empire map of Southern Roman Empire in 524 A.D. map of Roman colonization of Africa by 524 A.D.
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#180
February 13th, 2012, 02:31 PM
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That and the Egyptians conceived of what we call "Nubia" as seven lands (Wawat, Medja, Kush, Karoy, Irem, Ikuyta, and Ibhet), and saw Retjenu/the Levant as consisting (to my knowledge) of at least five (Djahy, Remnen, Takhsy, Amurru, and Khor). So even if they were to change their king's title, it would probably be "Lord of the Fourteen Lands". Quote:
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 ), but where Iahames has focused all his life on purely political matters, Autdjeretpaaten may very well delve into the religious sphere. Remember, Iahames converted to Atenism, whereas Autdjeretpaaten was born into it and is therefore likely to have a somewhat different view and experience of the faith. His relationship with Meryetaten is actually a somewhat better parallel to the relationship between Iahames and Akhenaten than his relationship with Tutankhaten, but it is also different in the sense that Meryetaten is slated to be a guardian of the Atenist faith rather than a founder of it (and a junior one at that, as her elder sisters, Meketaten and Ba'aketaten, are more likely to be considered as future Divine Adoratrices), a role that Autdjeretpaaten could easily conflate with his own. And in a time and place where the lines between "church and state" are blurry and ill-defined, Autdjeretpaaten may be far more prone than his father to dipping his fingers in multiple pots.As for Atenism's prevalence among the average Egyptian citizen... At this point the religion is making inroads primarily among the upper and urban middle classes - people connected to the royal court through employment and patronage of their services. The army is also becoming a haven of Atenism - religious fervour fuelled by the victorious campaigns in Nubia and the Levant - and as soldiers return home or to the plots of land allotted to them by the state in recompense for their service many of them will carry the new religion with them. The peasant class, which still accounts for the majority of the population despite Ancient Egypt being one of the most heavily urbanized societies at the time, still largely adheres to the old beliefs (especially since many old cults are still operational and their temples are often a village's/town's main administrative building), but if Tutankhaten's penchant for rededicating temples catches on, and the Per-Sebayat produces enough Atenist graduates, we will be seeing a shift occur among the lower classes as they trade one set of beliefs for another. Of course, there will be those among all classes who resist, but the wind is simply not blowing in their favour; the Atenist regime is in an exponentially more secure position than it was at the same time in OTL, and with grand works, an expanded theology, and military victories under its belt, it's beginning to look a lot like the truth... Quote:
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The Turtledove-winning (Best New Ancient TL 2012!) Realm of Millions of Years is my main project. Feel free to ask me about ancient Egypt.
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