Internal Developments: Role and Contributions of Rulers Flashcards
1
Q
Context
Tutankhamen
A
- Followed Smenkhare onto the throne
- Important historian perspective: “Tutankhamen is now widely regarded as the saviour of Egyptian traditions, the king responsible for righting an upturned country and for re-establishing the rule of law.” (Nicholas Reeves)
- Historiographical issue: was he Akhenaten’s son-in-law, or Akhenaten’s son but to another wife (Queen Kia), or the son of Amenhotep III and half-brother of Akhenaten?
- Historiographical issue: was he assassinated, was he killed accidentally or in battle against the Hittites?
2
Q
Religion
Tutankhamen
A
- there was no immediate backlash against the Aten: no temples were closed, but the Aten was no longer the sole god
- Changed his name from Tutankhaten to Tutankhamen
- Moved the court back to Thebes
- commissioned new statues of Amun in gold, and of many other gods, especially Ptah
Restoration Stela
- decorated with a scene of Tutankhamen presenting flowers to “Amen-Re, Lord of the Thrones of the Two Lands, Lord of Heaven, King of the Gods”
- Tutankhamen claims that he restored temples and cult images of all gods
- increased temple incomes
- chose new members of the priesthoods from worthy citizens
3
Q
Military
Tutankhamen
A
Hittite campaigns
- Hittites finally defeated King Tushratta of Mitanni (ally of Egypt)
- Hittite records suggest that Egypt and Assyria acted together to attack the area around Kadesh but were beated back into Egyptian-held territory
- Hittite sources reveal the Egyptian prisoners were captured
Other military campaigns
- Horemheb (chief commander of the army under Tutankhamen) built a tomb for himself in Memphis: reliefs show Asiatic prisoners presented to the king. Horemheb claims that he was “the guardian of the footsteps of his Lord on the battlefield of this day of smiting Asiatics”
- Relief fragments from Karnak and Luxor suggest military campaigns
- Restoration Stela mentions booty from campaigns
- Tomb of Huy, Viceroy of Nubia: Asiatics and Nubians offer tribute
Warrior pharaoh
- Revived the role of sportsman king and warrior
- Shown in reliefs wearing the crowns of Upper and Lower Egypt, the false beard, royal collar, crook and flail
- On a painted clothing chest: “the good god, the son of Amen, the Valient One, without equal. A possessor of strength who tramples hundreds of thousands, who makes them into a pile of corpses.”
4
Q
Building program
Tutankhamen
A
Karnak
- Reliefs of Amen and Mut carved on the 6th pylon
- Reliefs of Tutankhamen taking part in a procession of Nile gods appear
- Figures of Tutankhamen added to reliefs on the 3rd pylon
- Hall of Records of Thutmose III: two statues of Amen and Amenet were carved with the features of Tutankhamen and his wife Ankhensepaaten
- Began a temple called The Mansion of Nebkheperure (Tut’s throne name) in Thebes
Luxor
- Decorated the inner walls of a colonnade of Amenhotep III, calling him his ‘father’
- A bunch of reliefs of either himself with gods, or Amun and Mut, at Karnak
- The Mansion of Nebkheperure
- Added to the temple of Amun at Luxor and called Amenhotep III his father
5
Q
Aye is not in the syllabus-this is for context between Tut and Horemheb
Contributions
Aye
A
Building program
- Added to the temple complex at Karnak and Luxor
- Added his name to many of Tutankhamen’s monuments, and continued the work on Tut’s Mansion of Nebkheperure
- Aye’s burial chamber: King Aye and Queen Tiye shown fowling in the marshes
Religion
- Chapel of Aye at Akhmin: inscription emphasises that Aye wished to support the traditional gods of Egypt and carried on Tutankhamen’s restoration of temples
6
Q
Context
Horemheb
A
Accumulated an array of titles and roles:
- “fan-bearer at the right of the king, general of the Lord of Two Lands, real King’s scribe…Horemheb”
- ‘Royal Lieutenant’ in charge of foreign affairs
- “the Heir Apparent Horemheb was standing beside the throne”
- ‘Chief Overseer of the Army’, rewarded with collars of gold as he presents captives to King Tut (Memphis Tomb)
Coronation inscription
- “the great god Horus…desired to place his son (Horemheb) upon the throne…Horus proceeded with rejoicing to Thebes with his son, to give him the kingship…Amen-Re was filled with joy when he saw him coming” → gained support of the Amen priesthood and proclaimed Amen as supreme god in Egypt once again
Historian perspective
- “Aye and Horemheb were both usurpers of the throne, though it would appear their take-overs were peaceable in their turns. My impression is that both Aye and Horemheb were practical men who did their best to right the things which had gone wrong under the Atenists.” (O. Schaden)
- “Horemheb was untainted by the Amarna heresy. He was energetic, imaginative and responsible and clearly had the nation’s interest at heart … the army had taken over.” (D. Redford) → also shows military focus
7
Q
Military
Horemheb
A
- Traditional scenes at Karnak list Asiatic captives being presented to Amen, Mut and Khonsu, and 11 defeated lands
- Wall at Karnak: King of Punt says “Hail to you, King of Egypt”
- Temple at Gebel el-Silsila: “he triumphs over the princes of every country. His bow is in his hand like the lord of Thebes, mighty in strength, who carried away the princes of wretched Kush” → victory over Nubians
Horemheb own a pet gerbil at Karnak
8
Q
Building program
Horemheb
A
- Coronation Stela: Horemheb restored temples throughout Egypt
- Restored royal tombs that had been robbed ie. Thutmose IV
- Usurped Tutankhamen’s hall at Luxor and his Restoration Stela
- Dismantled parts of Amenhotep III’s southern gate which had scenes depicting Akhenaten
damnatio memoriae: deliberate political erasure of the memory of a person → Horemheb did a lot of this
9
Q
Political
Horemheb
A
The Great Edict
- a crusade against corruption: “every person who taketh the craft of any citizen of the army or any person who is in the whole land, the law shall be executed against him, in that his nose shall be cut off, and he shall be sent to Tharu”
10
Q
also not in syllabus, but for context
Ramesses I
Role and Contribution
A
- Horemheb died without an heir and probably chose a successor from the military → Pramesse (Ramesses), who was in his 50s with a son and grandson (assuring the new dynasty successors)
Role - Two statues and a stela of his from Thebes claim:
- he came from a military background: Superintendent of Horse, commander of the army
- Royal messenger or envoy
- Mayor and eventually vizier
- High priest of all the gods
- Historiographical issue: some historians argue that these statues are not genuine, but the career they outline would have been a tradition for important New Kingdom nobles
Contributions:
- Continued the work at Karnak
- Sent an expedition to Sinai to quarry turquoise
- Designed and commenced the columns of the Hypostyle Hall at Karnak
11
Q
19th Dynasty
Context
Seti I
A
- Succeeded Rammesses I
- Appears to have shared a co-regency with Ramesses I during his father’s reign
Historian perspective (Donald B. Redford): Seti’s use of epithets “Repeater of Births” and “renewing Appearances” links the phenomenon of the rising of the star Sirius on the first day of the Egyptian calendar year to the beginning of his reign, an astronomical event happening once every 1460 years → Seti emphasises his reign as signalling a new era for Egypt (political propaganda)
Overview of Seti I’s role
- Military: re-established Egyptian influence in Palestine and parts of Syria, on return presenting himself as a successful warrior pharaoh and providing booty to the Amen temple. Attempted to emulate the military success in the north of Thutmose III
- Religion: actively pursued a building program that honoured the major gods of Egypt. Elevated Ramesses I (his father) to level of a god
- Political: used prenomen “Bringer of Renewal” to emphasise that his reign was a new beginning for Egypt. Linked himself to previous pharaohs by inscribing the “List of Kings” at Abydos.
12
Q
Military
Seti I
A
- Pursued an active military program following similar strategies to King Thutmose III (his idol)
Post-Amarna context
- Egyptian influence in Syria-Palestine had been completely lost during the Amarna period
- Increasing pressure from Hittites
- Collapse of Mitannians
- General unrest in Palestinian cities
By the end of his campaign…
- Seti had reestablished an Egyptian presence in Palestine, along the Lebanese coast and into Syria
- Nubia was also firmly under Egyptian control and exploited for mining and trade
- Kadesh reverted to Hittite control before the reign of his son Ramesses II
= regained Egyptian control of Syria-Palestine along the Lebanese coast and into Syria, and reaffirmed sovereignty in Nubia for mining and trade. But lost Kadesh to Hittite control by the end of his reign
13
Q
Military: First Campaign
Seti I
A
- Captured the desert wells on his way to Gaza
- Led army north into Palestine: fought the Shasu Bedouins: “His Majesty marched against them like a fierce-eyed lion. Making them carcasses in their valleys, overturned in their own blood” (Karnak temple)
- Led army into Canaan: Relieved Beth-Shan and Rehob, previously under Egyptian control, from attack by Hamath and Pella; then moved to coastline, secured coastline
- Led army into Jordan: Punished Pella for attacking Beth-Shan
- Set up a victory stela at Tell esh-Shihab, depicting Seti worshipping Amen and Mut
- Returned in triumph to Egypt, taking “living captives … the great Chiefs of Retennu” (Scenes 6 and 7, Karnak)
1st in the Levant
To Gaza: captured desert wells
Palestine: fought Shasu Bedouins and won
Canaan: relieved Beth-Shan and Rehob from attack by Hamath and Pella, then secured the coastline
Jordan: punished Pella for attacking Beth-Shan
Tel esh-Shihab: victory stela showing Seti worshipping Amun and Mut, the king and queen of heaven
14
Q
Military: Second Campaign
Seti I
A
- Launched a campaign to repulse Libyans infiltrating the West Delta regions
- Scenes 12-15 at Karnak: traditional battle scenes, captives, booty of silver, gold, lapis lazuli, malachite being presented to Amun
2nd against Libyans in the West Delta
15
Q
Military: Third Campaign
Seti I
A
- Attack on the northern Asiatic town of Kadesh and the “land of the Amurru”
- Scene 11: celebrates this campaign and is partly copied from a simile stele of Amenhotep III and Thutmose III’s “Hymn of Victory” → Seti is emphasising his link to his warrior pharaoh “ancestors”
3rd against Kadesh and the land of the Amurru
16
Q
Military: Fourth Campaign
Seti I
A
- Against Hittites north of Kadesh
- Egypt claimed part of northern Syria: Qatna and Tunip
- Hittite king Muwatallish may have made a peace treaty, but it is unclear where the demarcation line between Seti and Muwatallish lay
- Karnak reliefs 17-20 celebrate this campaign
4th against Hittites
17
Q
Military: Fifth Campaign
Seti I
A
- Against Nubia
- Reliefs in a desert temple north of Edfu: Seti celebrates dominance of the south by being presented with a sword by Amen and smiting a group of Nubians
- “Take the sword, O Mighty King, Horus of the Bows, in order to overthrow the chiefs of TUSH, the wretched, in order to cut off their heads” (Inscription of Redesiyeh)
5th against Nubia
18
Q
Building Program
Seti I
A
Temple of Amen at Karnak
- Built a major part of the Hypostyle Hall
- Placed war reliefs on the walls
- “Seti made it as his monument for his father, Amen-Re … making for him a great and splendid temple of fine sandstone.” → main decorative focus was to emphasise his close link to Amen, who was responsible for his military victories and benefited from the booty
Mortuary Temple at Qurna, Thebes
- Named temple “Temple of the Spirit of Seti in the House of Amen”
- Made it “as his monument for his father, Osiris, Ramesses I”
Temple of Seti at Abydos
- Sacred to all the gods of Egypt → linking Seti to the earlier dynasties of Egypt
- Abydos = ancient cult centre of Osiris
- The Osireion: a building ;ocated behind the Abydos temple, surrounded by water to create an artificial island → represents the primeval mound that began creation, or links to the Osirian legend? Decorated with scenes of the journey through the underworld
Temple at Elephantine
- Decorated with reliefs of Seti presenting goods to Amen and Khnum
Heliopolis
- Later inscription of Ramesses II stated that Seti “filled Heliopolis with obelisks”
Restorations → link this to post-Amarna reforms!
- Restored damage in some temples made during the Amarna era, particularly where the name of Amen had been vandalised
- E.g. Amenhotep III’s temple at El Kab and obelisks of Hatshepsut
19
Q
Administration
Seti I
A
- Headed an extensive bureaucracy
- Administrative capital = Memphis
- Palace at Qantir → close to main route to Asiatic lands = trade
- Inscriptions from Year 9 cut into a rock near Edfu indicate goldmining at Wadi Mia
- “‘The future generations will glorify me because of my strength and because I am kind-hearted towards travellers.’ After speaking these words, His Majesty searched the mountains for a place to make a watering place. The god led him to the spot to grant his request. The place was built in the great name of Seti and became full of a great quantity of water.” → RSPECTM: social and religion
- “His Majesty … increased the rations to the army in ointment, meat, fish and many vegetables without limit. …Thus they worked with a loving heart for His Majesty.” → RSPECTM: social
Benevolent in administration: Edfu inscription and the other one about the army rations
Headed an extensive bureaucracy (needs link to officials)
Promoted trade with the Asiatic lands, as his palace was located at Qantir, near the main route to the Asiatic lands
20
Q
Religion
Seti I
A
- Attributed his military success to Amen-Re of Thebes
- Focus of reliefs at Karnak is Seti’s military success and presentation of booty to Amen
- Refers to Amen-Re as his “father” in temple inscriptions
- Did not elevate Amen to the supreme position previously held in the 18th Dynasty
- Seti equally honoured other established gods: “All the gods of Egypt” (Buhen temple)
- Linked himself closely to all manifestations of the sun-god → decorated the obelisk (now in Rome) with Re, Re-Atum-Khepri, Re-Harakhte
- Mortuary temple: depicted usual mortuary gods Anubis, Horus, Isis, Nepthys, Osiris, as well as other gods like Selket, Thoth, Hathor, Maat
- Unusual aspect of reign: emphasised his father as a god → justified his family’s establishment of a new dynasty
21
Q
Context
Ramesses II
A
- Succeeded Seti I
- Pursued Seti’s religious policy
- Summed up his titltes and accomplishments as pharaoh in the “Hymn to Ramesses”
- Also idolised Thutmose III
Early career
- Aswan rock stela: Ramesses supervised the quarry of stone obelisks during Seti I’s (his father’s) reign
Historian perspectives
- “If the greatness of an Egyptian pharaoh be measured by the size and number of the monuments remaining to perpetrate his memory, Seti’s son and successor, Ramesses II would have to be judged the equal, or even the superior, of the produest pyramid-builders.” (A. Gardiner)
- “Ramesses II [had] a more enduring and stable relam than any of his contemporaries.” (K.A. Kitchen)
22
Q
Religion
Ramesses II
A
- Existing temples were maintained over the empire and new ones erected in Per-Ramesses
- Abu Simbel: promoted himself equally with the gods
Polytheism
- Ptah of Memphis was honoured, as in Seti’s reign (continuity) with a temple to him at Memphis
- Abydos temple was dedicated to Osiris
- The Ramesseum and other temples were dedicated to Min, Thoth, Khonsu, Hathor and Nekhbet
- Even foreign gods such as Baal (Canaanite god) and Astarte (Phonecian goddess) had shrines in Memphis
Amen
- Ramesses II attended Amen’s great Feast of Opet in Thebes
- The main shrine in the Ramesseum was dedicated to Amen
- Letter written by Chief of the Treasury, Panhesy, to a priest of Amun at Thebes, concerning the holdings of Amen in the Delta region: “I have collected the goods due to the treasury, a wealth of silver, gold, copper, clothing…”
Continuity
- Continued the religious policy established by his father and grandfather, promoting the gods of Egypt’s great cities
- Ramesses II copied his hero Amenhotep III by promoting himself as a god of Egypt and Nubia
23
Q
Building Program
Ramesses II
A
Per-Ramesses (new capital)
- Location in the Delta facilitated communications between Egypt and the north
- “In its west is the Temple of Amen, in its South is the Temple of Seth, Astarte appears in its east and Uto in its North” → promotion of polytheism
Karnak
- finished the Hypostyle Hall
Luxor
- Added a front pylon, virtually claiming that the Luxor temple was his own
Abydos
- Battle scenes of Kadesh, including Aleppo being hung upside down to drain water from him after being rescued from the Orontes River
Ramesseum at Thebes
- Temple for the worship of his mother Tuya and wife Nefertari
- Northern tower depicts the Egyptian army marching, as well as a seated Ramesses conversing with northern princes and a row of captured spies being beaten for information
- Southern tower depicts the Battle of Kadesh, featuring Ramesses in his chariot, trampling dead enemies, and Hittites retreating
Abu Simbel Temples (Nubia)
- Back shrine: figures of Ptah, Amun, Ramesses and Re-Harakhte
- Colossal statues of the king dedicated to Re-Horakhty
- Smaller temple dedicated to Nefertari and included a depiction of a battle scene from his battle of Kadesh
24
Q
Military
Ramesses II
A
Context
- Hittites had established control over much of Syria and Amurru
- Ramesses II’s main military aim was to maintain Egyptian control over the retjenu (Syria-Palestine) region
Campaigns in Syria-Palestine
- Successfully recaptured Amurru from the Hittites in year 4. This victory emboldened him to believe that he could win back all of the former Egyptian empire
- The Hittite king Muwatallis assembled a huge army to defend Kadesh and recover Amurru in retaliation, culminating in the Battle of Kadesh. Egypt recaptured Kadesh briefly, but it was soon returned to Hittite control again
- Year 10: launched a campaign in northern Syria, beseiging the town of Dapur. Egypt successfully captured it, but it reverted back to Hittite control soon after
25
Q
Administration
Ramesses II
A
Peace treaty
- Signed a peace treaty with the Hittites in Year 21
- Hittite king Khattushilish proposed an alliance, which Ramesses accepted. The Hittite proposal was stamped on a large silver plate and taken by envoys to Egypt. Two copies of the agreement were displayed in the Hypostyle Hall at karnak and another at the Ramesseum
- It guaranteed “good peace and good brotherhood between [Egypt and the Hittites] forever”
- Finally managed to form long-lasting peace between the Hittites and Egypt through diplomatic visits, correspondence, and Khattshilish sending two Hittite princesses to the Egyptian court for marriage (the second one in year 34, commemorated by inscriptions and reliefs)
Mining
- Imitating Seti I, he built a well to supply water on a long, dry road to the gold-mining area of Kuddan
Officials
- Chose many officials from the provinces, likely on a meritocratic system
