Throughout the long span of Egyptian history, few figures have been as controversial as Akhenaten. His reign was marked by social, political, and religious upheaval of a scale rarely seen in any culture. In less than two decades on the throne, Akhenaten introduced sweeping changes to Egyptian religion, transformed the royal artistic style, relocated the capital to a previously uninhabited site, implemented a novel architectural approach, and attempted to erase the names and images of several traditional Egyptian deities. It is precisely because of the turbulent nature of his rule that this era, known as the Amarna period, has attracted such sustained attention from both scholars and the general public.

Since Akhenaten’s rediscovery in modern times, academics have produced numerous studies and biographies of this so-called heretic king, often emphasizing his revolutionary nature. James Henry Breasted captured this sentiment succinctly: “Until Ikhnaton, the history of the world had been the irresistible drift of tradition. All men had been but drops of water in the great current. Ikhnaton was the first individual in history.”

Akhenaten ascended the throne as pharaoh of Egypt around 1353 or 1351 BCE, ruling for approximately 17 years during the 18th Dynasty of the New Kingdom. He is perhaps best known today for establishing a new religion centered on the Aten, represented as a sun disk and understood as the light emitted by the sun itself. Born Amenhotep IV, he adopted the name Akhenaten in his fifth regnal year to better reflect his religious vision (from “Amun is satisfied” to “Effective for Aten”). Shortly thereafter, he embarked on a series of transformative reforms in religion, art, and writing, timed to coincide with the jubilees of his deified father, Amenhotep III, and the Aten.