Pharaohs certainly played a unique role in ancient Egypt, concentrating all levels of power in their hands. One of the essential functions of the Pharaoh was the connection with the cosmos. The kings not only possessed a divine nature and were the messengers of the gods on earth, but they also were believed to join Re and Osiris after death (Silverman 110). Although the priests fulfilled all essential religious obligations, it is still fascinating to trace how the theological role of the Pharaoh changed in the development of ancient Egypt.
The Early Dynastic Period and the Old Kingdom were the heydays of the divine status of kings. At that time, people attached great importance to the role of the Pharaoh as the deputy of God on earth. For example, the rulers from Dynasty to Dynasty received new titles, emphasizing their godliness and immortality. So, the names of the Pharaoh included references to the fact that the king was subject to natural elements (the nsw-bity name means “of Papyrus and Bee”) and indicated a relationship with the gods Horus and Ra (sa ra name and gold name) (Ikram 169). However, over time, one can see that the cosmic nature and inviolability of the ruler begin to lose their sacredness. So, already in the 12th Dynasty, the Pharaoh ceased to be portrayed as eternally young and full of vital energy (Ikram 170). This may indicate a severe ideological shift in the perception of the theological role of the king.
Worshiping a living pharaoh became especially important in the New Kingdom. It was then that the erection of statues of kings and idolatry became widespread. Thus, for example, Amenhotep III and his son Ramesses II brought the cult of the ruler to the extreme (Silverman 113). In temples throughout the country, they erected their statues emphasizing the divine birth of the pharaohs and their differences from ordinary mortals. However, evidence of the looting of tombs hints that in this era, there is no blind faith in the truth of the king’s eternal life (Silverman 111). It can be argued that the New Kingdom was the peak of the theological role of rulers.
In the Late Period of ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh still fulfilled his religious function, uniting church and state. However, with the arrival of new rulers of the conquerors, first from Persia and then from Greece and Rome, the divinity of the Pharaoh becomes precarious. The color and symbolism are erased; they are replaced by the desire to expand the state’s borders. Hence, Alexander the Great, having taken the Egyptian throne by force, realized the importance of the Pharaoh’s theological role and accepted the game’s rules to strengthen his power in the new territory (Bianchi 13). Later, with the reign of Ptolemy I, II, and III, the culture of ancient Egypt absorbed many Greek elements. However, both Cleopatra and the Roman conquerors did not violate Egyptian civilization’s most crucial religious layer. The spiritual role of the king remained unshakable for quite a long, albeit much less emphasized.
Works Cited
Bianchi, R. “Ptolemaic Egypt and Rome: An Overview.” In Ed. R. Bianchi. Cleopatra’s Egypt: Age of the Ptolemies, The Brooklyn Museum. Pp. 13 – 20. Mainz: Philip von Zabern, 1989.
Ikram, Salima. Ancient Egypt: An Introduction. Cairo: AUC Press, 2010.
Silverman, David. Ancient Egypt. Cairo: AUC Press, 1999.