Question

Which Egyptian pharaoh is famous for a religious revolution and for moving the capital of Egypt from Thebes to Amarna (he has two names, the latter of which reflects his religious ideal)?

A) Tutankhamun
B) Ramesses II
C) Akhenaten
D) Hatshepsut

Answer 1

The pharaoh who initiated a religious revolution and moved the capital from Thebes to Amarna was Akhenaten, originally Amenhotep IV. He focused on the worship of the deity Aten and was succeeded by Tutankhamun who reversed his changes.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Egyptian pharaoh famous for a religious revolution and for moving the capital from Thebes to Amarna, who was known by two names, with the latter reflecting his religious ideals, is Akhenaten. Originally named Amenhotep IV, he tried to reorient Egyptian worship towards the deity Aten, an aspect of the sun god Ra.

Akhenaten, meaning "the one useful to Aten," established a new capital at Amarna, aiming to reduce the power and wealth of the traditional priesthood by centering worship on Aten and portraying himself and Queen Nefertiti as divine intermediaries.

Despite this radical shift, Akhenaten's religious changes were short-lived, as his successors, including his son Tutankhamun, restored the traditional polytheistic beliefs and moved the religious center back to Thebes.