Amun-Re Cult

The reunification of upper and Lower Egypt catalysed the syncretism of prominent sun deities Amun and Re. Consequently, a powerful cult emerged that became the prevailing religious ideology, as well as an important political power base which secured dynastic legitimacy. The importance and impact of the Amun cult is diverse, as it developed social cohesion, shaped the ideology of kingship, facilitated economic and military prosperity, and formed a new power base; the Amun Priesthood.

The cult of Amun Re was an expression of Egyptian unity and thereby consolidated a religious and societal cohesion and a rise in nationalism. Eric Hornung argues that the syncretism of the Amun cult with that of Re constituted the evolution of an altogether new

The success of the king’s rule became based on the approval or rejection of the god Amun-Re. Thus, Amun was used as a platform for political propaganda, with pharaohs such as Hatshepsut and Thutmose III using the God to legitimise their claims to the throne, as evidenced for Thutmose III on the Temple of Tiraqa: ‘I have achieved this according to that which was ordained for me by my father, Amun-Re’. Concepts of the divine oracles and the divine birth of the king became a theme for pharaohs of the 19th dynasty, and afforded them heightened legitimacy. Hatshepsut’s divine birth scenes on her mortuary temple in Deir el Bahri depicts her claim to be the daughter of Amun, manipulating the public to believe in her divine birth. Additionally, Thutmose IV’s ‘dream stela” erected between the paws of the sphinx, which claimed that he had been granted the kingship because he had freed the monument according to instruction from gods. Some historians have dismissed these building projects, which consolidated the importance and authority of the state cult of Amun-Re as mere political propaganda. However, it is more the point that they reflect a significant change in the Egyptian political landscape, as it became dependent on and connected to the sustained pre-eminence of the cult of Amun-Re and the religious unity that eventuated. Therefore, the amun

The high priests of Amun attained a greater degree of significance in the 18th dynasty, exercising notable political, economic and religious influence, as affirmed by Bradley, who stated “the status of Amun was raised above all other gods and his priesthood acquired great religious, economic and political influence”. The position of “First Prophet of Amun” included the new title of “overseer of prophets of upper and lower Egypt”, thus giving the priest authority over all other religious cults, for example Hapuseneb, revealed by the inscriptions on his tomb. Menkheperraseneb also exemplified the power stemming form the Amun cult, performing both religious and secular roles in his position as ‘overseer of the houses of gold and silver’. Furthermore, the Queens after Ahmose-Nefertari also attained new significance in the state cult. “Gods Wife of Amun” was a position, which executed economic and political power within the Amun