Amenhotep iii as a religious leader
Luxor Temple with it's Sphinx Avenue
Amenhotep III had a very important role in ensuring that society withheld a strong bond within religion. Amenhotep stressed a relationship specifically with Amen Re which was because "he loved his father, Amen, Lord of Thebes, so much more than all the Gods." To project this favouritism he attributed wealth to him, military victories and Amenhotep III also built extensively dedicating temple after temple to the divine being.
Amenhotep built many temples which portrayed his influence and dominance within religion as well as over neighbouring civilisation of Nubia. Through building Amenhotep contributed strongly to his reign and kingdom as a religious leader. Pictured Left is the Luxor Temple in Nubia with an Avenue of Sphinxes that held small figurines of the pharaoh. It is known to be the most magnificent of all his temples and also known to be the earliest and most complete expression of classic temple architecture. From this extravagancy a paved path with the sphinxes mentioned, led to the temple at Karnak which was added to by pharaohs after Amenhotep III giving evidence of just how important it really is to the role of religion. To create his masterpiece he first destroyed previous works, including some by his father, and built upon the rubble to create his temple. It was quite a lengthy process to inscribe the temple, but the inscriptions praise Amenhotep III and also list gifts that Amenhotep gave to the temple, thus giving them to Amen Re.
Pictured below is the third pylon at Karnak. An inscription snippet reads as follows 'Amenhotep [III]. Ruler of Thebes, who is vigilant to seek that which is useful, the king, who has erected another monument for Amen, making for him a very great portal over against Amen - Re, Lord of Thebes, wrought with gold throughout.' This inscription backs up the point stated that the inscriptions include Amenhotep III praising himself but this inscription also includes the relationship Amenhotep had with the god Amen-Re.
Amenhotep III also presented himself as a god. He dedicated a lot of the temples to himself or to himself alongside with Amen-Re. Inscriptions emphasised his role as a God. For example, in the temple of Memphis where the 'living image' of the pharaoh was to worshiped alongside with the God of Ptah. The source written by historian D. Redford (1987) states; 'Amenophis became Egypt’s 'Sun-King', adopting the sobriquet 'the Dazzling Sun Disc'' This is showing that through his role Amenhotep III contributed to his reign by becoming a living religious figure.
Through Amenhotep III's religious role he contributed via building and attributing aspects of his reign to the gods. He was significant in the role of religion because today we are able to know the way religion was approached and the way the Gods were worshiped. It also gives strong evidence and information to the suggestion that pharaohs had a link to the Gods.
Amenhotep built many temples which portrayed his influence and dominance within religion as well as over neighbouring civilisation of Nubia. Through building Amenhotep contributed strongly to his reign and kingdom as a religious leader. Pictured Left is the Luxor Temple in Nubia with an Avenue of Sphinxes that held small figurines of the pharaoh. It is known to be the most magnificent of all his temples and also known to be the earliest and most complete expression of classic temple architecture. From this extravagancy a paved path with the sphinxes mentioned, led to the temple at Karnak which was added to by pharaohs after Amenhotep III giving evidence of just how important it really is to the role of religion. To create his masterpiece he first destroyed previous works, including some by his father, and built upon the rubble to create his temple. It was quite a lengthy process to inscribe the temple, but the inscriptions praise Amenhotep III and also list gifts that Amenhotep gave to the temple, thus giving them to Amen Re.
Pictured below is the third pylon at Karnak. An inscription snippet reads as follows 'Amenhotep [III]. Ruler of Thebes, who is vigilant to seek that which is useful, the king, who has erected another monument for Amen, making for him a very great portal over against Amen - Re, Lord of Thebes, wrought with gold throughout.' This inscription backs up the point stated that the inscriptions include Amenhotep III praising himself but this inscription also includes the relationship Amenhotep had with the god Amen-Re.
Amenhotep III also presented himself as a god. He dedicated a lot of the temples to himself or to himself alongside with Amen-Re. Inscriptions emphasised his role as a God. For example, in the temple of Memphis where the 'living image' of the pharaoh was to worshiped alongside with the God of Ptah. The source written by historian D. Redford (1987) states; 'Amenophis became Egypt’s 'Sun-King', adopting the sobriquet 'the Dazzling Sun Disc'' This is showing that through his role Amenhotep III contributed to his reign by becoming a living religious figure.
Through Amenhotep III's religious role he contributed via building and attributing aspects of his reign to the gods. He was significant in the role of religion because today we are able to know the way religion was approached and the way the Gods were worshiped. It also gives strong evidence and information to the suggestion that pharaohs had a link to the Gods.