364. Ancient Egypt: The Fall of Akhenaten (Ep 3)
Summary
Host William de Rimpel interviews Professor Aidan Dodson on the collapse of Akhenaten’s Amarna Revolution. They discuss the city’s rapid decline following a devastating plague, the pharaoh’s neglect of foreign allies, and the subsequent erasure of his legacy by traditional priests. The episode explores how Akhenaten’s radical religious reforms failed after his death, leading to the abandonment of his capital and his posthumous condemnation as a criminal.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and intro
Welcome and guest introduction
The city of Amarna and its art
The theology of Aten and Akhenaten's vision
Signs of collapse: famine, plague, and royal deaths
The plague and diplomatic correspondence
Akhenaten's neglect of foreign allies
Akhenaten's death and the erasure of his name
The fate of Amarna and the Restoration Stele
Legacy of Akhenaten and conclusion
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