WI Atenism Survived

Atenism, also known as the Amarna Heresy, was erased from Egyptian culture after the death of its founder, Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (a.k.a. Akhenaten). How would history have differed if this proto-monotheism survived the death of Akhenaten and became firmly entrenched in ancient Egyptian society? How would it have affected the cultures around Egypt and how would the political and cultural history differ from the OT?
My own thoughts are that Egypt would become less class-structured, not depending on a specific priestly caste, and would become an even more powerful empire than it was at the time. I would think that this would result from the unitarian and exclusive religious policy of Aten as a universal, singular deity as it had become by the end of Akhenaten's reign. This would be analogous to the Islamic Empire, an essentially Arabic empire invigorated by the fanatical inspiration of Islam.
What does everyone else think? I am somewhat new to this genre, and would really like to know your opinions and reasoning.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!
 

Keenir

Banned
Atenism, also known as the Amarna Heresy, was erased from Egyptian culture after the death of its founder, Pharaoh Amenhotep IV (a.k.a. Akhenaten). How would history have differed if this proto-monotheism survived the death of Akhenaten and became firmly entrenched in ancient Egyptian society? How would it have affected the cultures around Egypt and how would the political and cultural history differ from the OT?
My own thoughts are that Egypt would become less class-structured, not depending on a specific priestly caste, and would become an even more powerful empire than it was at the time. I would think that this would result from the unitarian and exclusive religious policy of Aten as a universal, singular deity as it had become by the end of Akhenaten's reign. This would be analogous to the Islamic Empire, an essentially Arabic empire invigorated by the fanatical inspiration of Islam.
What does everyone else think? I am somewhat new to this genre, and would really like to know your opinions and reasoning.
Thank you and have a wonderful day!

thank you, and welcome to the forum.


sadly, unless Akhenaten is succeeded by an Aten-worshipper who is willing to manage the Egyptian Empire, Aten-worship is still doomed....Akhenaten pretty nearly drove Egypt into the ground with his neglect.
(for a parallel, imagine a US President with control over Washington DC, moderate control over Virginia, Maryland, and southern Pennsylvania, and no control over the rest of the USA - instead relying upon local Generals and Reserve Units to run those states)

Aten-worship cut down on priests, yes; but it was more like Catholocism than Islam -- only the Pharoah (the Pope) could serve as intermediary between Aten (God) and mankind.
 
Thanks! That really helps clarify the problems involved. So, let's regroup and rephrase. What if there were a strong ruler who succeeded Akhenaten and supported Atenism? Say, if Tutankhaten didn't change his name to Tutankhamen and had a spine?
 
That's not entirely fair to Tutanhkhamun, who was placed on the throne as a child and was conditioned to be nothing more than a puppet his entire life. Some scholars have noted that Tutankhamun's death came as he was reaching his majority and starting to make his own decisions, suggesting an assassination or coup, but more recent analysis of his mummy suggests that gangrene from a mundane injury sustained during a hunting accident killed him.

The question to ask is what might have happened if Tutankhamun's succession hadn't been muddled. Horemheb was supposed to be the rightful successor but Grand Vizier Ay usurped the throne. Horemheb eventually regained it, and reformed Egyptian government in part by reversing remaining Atenist policies.

Suppose instead Horemheb, who was a popular and effective ruler, embraced Atenism? Could he have kept the 18th Dynasty going longer, and solidified the cult's control over Egypt as a whole? If Horemheb had fathered or designated a legitimate heir, what might the outcome have been from there?
 
Suppose atenism was less radical and more populist. In fact, how about just 2 changes:

1. Amon, Isis, et al become the Aten's ministers. Thus it is appropriate to worship them in the same way that it is appropriate to petition the officials of the earthly pharonic government, just as long as you remember where their authority actually comes from. They thus become effectively saints.

2. Tombs are nice, but not strictly necessary. If you have true faith in Aten, then he will provide a boat for you to make the journey in the after life. And he will stand at the prow fending off monsters with his ankh and answering the inquisition by vouching for you. This would make it somewhat like christianity was in pagan Rome.
 
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