The benefits of building were twofold. As historian Kemp mentions, “Ideology needs architecture for its fullest expression”, just as building represented the pharaoh’s, thus all of Egypt’s, prosperity. Most if not all of the pharaohs’ building programs were temples. In dedicating places to particular gods, the pharaoh demonstrated piety, and consequently in pleasing the gods, further secured the maintenance of Egypt’s economic wealth- fulfilling another facet of upholding ma’at. Initially, the promotion of the Amun cult, a major god, was the primary project of Amenhotep; investing a significant portion of Egypt’s wealth towards the priesthood. Schemes involved extending Karnak- particularly the construction of the third pylon which created a new entrance to the temple; beginning the construction of the tenth pylon, oriented toward Luxor Temple- also built under Amenhotep III’s reign; and temples/ shrines dedicated Mut and Maat- gods who were also associated with solar theology. However, the Amun priesthood soon controlled 1/3 of all of Egypt’s wealth, warranting them a significant amount of power which rivalled that of the Pharaoh- in interpreting Amun’s will which even the Pharaoh himself was obliged to obey.
As a result, Amenhotep III soon shifted attention and investment of resources to various solar deities/cults including Nekhbet, Thoth, Hathor, Ptah, and largely developed interest in the Aten “the dazzling sun disk”. His self-deification as Amun and later Aten as discussed by Jan Assman, aside from reinforcing control of territory, was a direct political challenge to the power of the Amun priesthood, as evident through his depiction at the Soleb temple with the horns of Amun. In his identification and claims to be an incarnation of Amun, a main deity, who he no longer fell subject to the Amun priesthood’s religious will, but rather was in a more dominant position over them, further reasserting his authority as Pharaoh-god. Influences of Aten were starting to feature prominently as religious symbolism, such as the replacing of the neb glyph/ traditional depiction of the solar boat with new iconography and epithets on royal regalia; and adding Aten to names of buildings, royal barges and even his daughter, Bakenaten. This rebellion endured and most possibly shaped his son, co-regent, and eventual predecessor, Akhenaten’s decision to completely reform Egypt’s main god from Amun-Re to Aten during his own reign. Amenhotep III’s identification with the sun god Aten resulted to the building of open sun courts in the front of his buildings, for example, the peristyle sun court erected at Soleb Temple. Additionally, Amenhotep III built the largest mortuary temples of the New Kingdom on the west bank of Thebes, to maintain the cult of the deceased pharaoh in his afterlife. The west was symbolic of the cyclical nature of death, burial and rebirth because the sun’s setting/dying each night in the west, and rising in the east the next morning. For this reason, it was here that he also constructed Malkata Palace to house the vital Opet/Sed festivals, or rejuvenating festivals of the pharaoh.
As suggested by “Golden Age”, Egypt was at its zenith of wealth, freedom and status of respect as a powerful empire. This stability meant the lack of necessity to fight wars, but rather, its challenge stemmed from Akhenaten III’s ability to protect this peace and prosperity. Even though majority of his foreign policy was diplomatic, he is non-the-less portrayed in royal propaganda as a warrior pharaoh, “Annihilator of the Kush” despite only having launched one military campaign against Nubia in his fifth year as boasted in inscriptions on Konosso Stela the first Cataract, tablet of Victory from king’s mortuary temples, and a detailed account in Semna Inscription from the tomb of the Viceroy of Nubia (who supervised the campaign). The Amarna letters provide insight to the extent of Egypt’s influence in Asia and the nature of relationships with different states- namely independent kings such as the Mitanni, Babylonians and Hittites, and the Vassal Princes of Syria Palestine- whose letters usually entailed requests for gold, military provisions and protection. Again, because Nubia was a vital component to Egypt’s economy, it was directly administrated by an Egyptian Viceroy or The King’s Son of Kush- Merymose, and permanently occupied by military/garrisons in fortified towns to oppress sporadic rebellions. However, the northern vassal states of Syria-Palestine, or Asia as known to the Egyptians, were diplomatically administrated, through an alliance of vassal princes in conquered towns. Control of this region was also important to Egypt’s economy, providing resources like cedar wood and served an important trade corridor (Kadesh) to gain access to sea ports at Byblos on the Phoenician Coast. In order to secure foreign officials’ allegiance, their sons and daughters were taken as hostage at Egyptian courts and sometimes were diplomatically married. However, Egyptian princesses were never given to foreign kings, as a measure to ensure that power remained within Egyptian royalty/blood. Additionally, annual tax and tribute were given to Egypt in return for guaranteed protection and keeping peace. Amenhotep III’s diplomacy has been contested as a possible drawback to the Egyptian empire in the long term- because Egyptian military had not been established at Syria-Palestine, but rather, according to Callender Egypt only exerted a “sphere of influence”. Consequently, the Hittites were easily more able to take over control of the area of bordering cities from Egypt, exposing empire to attack.
Lastly, women of the royal family during Amenhotep III’s reign gained more significance, as Robins purports “on an ideological level, the queen represented the female principle of the universe through which the male king could renew himself...and it is possible that these offered potential power to the holder.” They were depicted prominently in monuments, for example Amenhotep III’s mother, Mutemweia acted as his regent early in his childhood, and is depicted as receiving Amun’s ankh in the Divine Birth scenes at Luxor temple. Also, his wife, Tiye, unlike other queens was frequently present on the Pharaoh’s monument in same proportions as he. The escalation of importance placed on the Queen’s role is evident in bestowing attributes paralleling that of the Pharaoh in her depiction- as a sphinx trampling enemies- as a warrior as well as god (manifested at the Temple Sedeinga in dedication to her worship as deity). Furthermore, the queen’s importance extended to her involvement in diplomatic affairs. Evidence of direct written correspondence to the queen involve a foreign ruler who wrote to her personally concerning matter of state, or simply to use her influence supporting his requests for gold from Egypt; also condolences from the King of Mitanni in the event of her husband’s death. An innovation in Amenhotep’s reign was the title “great Royal Wife’ granted to his daughter Sitamun, indicating the value and nature of position in the Pharaoh’s court. With the belief that Egyptian royalty, in particular princesses were superior to all other royalty, Egyptian princesses, or women for the matter were given to foreign ambassadors/rulers for diplomatic marriages. This was also a measure of securing the circulation of authority/power within Egypt.
In conclusion, through his diplomacy, Amenhotep III was able to maintain the political stability and economic prosperity of Egypt, having only launched one military campaign against Nubia throughout his whole reign. However, this could have been a possible fault, as a precursor to the eventual loss of Syria-Palestine to the Hittites during his son’s reign. In retrospect, in investing his wealth and foreign resources into extensive building programs, Amenhotep further boosted the economy and resulted to advances in art and religion- with importance being placed on new/different solar deities besides Amun-Re. Also, in the importance and role of the queen progressed in this period. It can be said that Amenhotep III’s reign was indeed the “Golden Age”, where Egypt achieved status as a respected authority, at the zenith of its power and wealth; although whether this stability was the achievement of Amenhotep III himself or merely passed onto him to maintain by the numerous wars won/conquered his predecessors remains contested by historians till this day.
