Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign (Hardcover)

by David O'Connor (Author), Eric H. Cline (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Numerous volumes have been written on the heretic pharaoh Akhenaten, from Egypt's Eighteenth Dynasty. No less important a figure was Akhenaten's father, the pharaoh Amenhotep III, who reigned roughly 1391-1353 b.c.e. Among Amenhotep III's undertakings were his roles as leader of numerous campaigns in Syro-Palestine; builder of numerous temples, shrines, and buildings in Thebes and Memphis; and husband to Queen Tiyi and a bevy of lesser wives, including daughters of the kings of Babylon, Hatti and Mitanni. Amenhotep III above all encouraged foreign exploration and trade to regions far beyond the borders of Egypt. This study of Amenhotep III reveals a fascinating and complex individual, responsible in more than one way for the religious and political upheavals that occurred during the reign of his son, Akhenaten.
Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign, edited by David O'Connor and Eric H. Cline consists of a series of essays on this complex individual and his reign. In addition to offering several provocative and ground-breaking essays, this volume serves as a compendium and sourcebook for hard-to-obtain details about the reign of Amenhotep III.
The volume begins with an overview of the pharaoh by Larry Berman: his life, his family, and the history of his reign. Betsy Bryan describes the historical antecedents of Amenhotep's reign. Ray Johnson deals first with the building activities of Amen-hotep III and then presents a study of his carved relief decoration, with particular emphasis on the tendencies towards "Atenism." Arielle Kozloff discusses a variety of small objects including cosmetic spoons, glass vessels, jewelry, and funerary equipment. David O'Connor discusses city planning, building functions, and aspects of religion in light of the contemporary Egyptian worldview. Bill Murnane's chapter on government is a fascinating glimpse of the system of government in place at the time. Extensive documentation is provided on the activities of Amenhotep in the Aegean and Anatolia, Mesopotamia, Nubia, and Syro-Palestine. The volume concludes with John Baines's chapter on the Amarna Age.
Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign is a valuable contribution to pharaonic studies. It will be of interest to a wide range of scholars interested in Mediterranean literatures and cultures. It draws on literary, archaeological, and historical material to form an interdisciplinary study of a complex figure in pharaonic Egypt.
David O'Connor is Lila Acheson Wallace Professor of Ancient Egyptian Art, Institute of Fine Arts, New York University. Eric H. Cline is Assistant Professor of History, Xavier University.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 448 pages
• Publisher: University of Michigan Press (August 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0472107429
• ISBN-13: 978-0472107421
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,347,750 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars "The magnificent age of Amenhotep III", May 6, 2009

By	Miron Ciho (Bucharest, Romania) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign (Paperback)

In 1998, D. O'Connor and Eric H. Cline edited an important collection of essays relating to the prolific reign of Amenhotep III, written by Egyptologists and historians. On that time, they hoped the book "will serve as a compendium and concise sourcebook..." for future studies about the Pharaoh in question. Time proved they had been perfectly right. After 2001, when appeared the first paperback edition of the book, it was reprinted in every year until 2004. Indeed, "Amenhotep III:Perspective on his Reign" became an essential reference tool, not only for Egyptologists studying the reign in discussion, but also for students attentive in evolution of international circumstances of the Mediterranean world during the XIV-th century BC. According to my opinion, there wasn't any co-regency between Amenhotep III and Akhenaten. Also, I think the cult of the sun disc-Aten was encouraged during the reign of Amenhotep III, and the king being the person who got his son involved in particular worship of Aten. Anyhow, the last two topics are a matter of debate among the present-day scientists. Exploring these essays, the reader will learn about a master politician, a defender of arts and a ruler who maintains Egypt's hegemony by diplomacy. Personally, I am looking forward to with great interest to the editors' third release: "Egypt's Last Hero: The Life and Times of Ramesses III", Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, currently in progress.