Akhenaten and Nefertiti: religious revolution in ancient Egypt
About this episode
This episode explores the lives of Nefertiti and Akhenaten, their religious revolution, and their legacy in ancient Egypt.
Greg Jenner is joined in ancient Egypt by historian and curator Dr Campbell Price and comedian Sikisa to learn all about Tutankhamun’s parents, Nefertiti and Akhenaten. As well as their famous son, this ancient Egyptian power couple are best known in the modern age for two reasons. Firstly, Nefertiti’s legendary beauty – her portrait bust is instantly recognisable around the world. Secondly, Akhenaten’s religious radicalism, which saw him reorient Egyptian belief towards the sun god Aten and build an entirely new capital away from the traditional seat of power at Thebes. This episode traces their lives as members of the 18th dynasty, often regarded as the ‘Golden Age’ of pharaonic Egypt. We look at Akhenaten’s murky childhood and Nefertiti’s even murkier origins, exploring their family life and the children they had, the religious revolution that Akhenaten drove, the unique architecture and art styles developed during their reign, and the fate of Aten worship after Akhenaten’s death. Along the way, we dig into the archaeological evidence and the many uncertainties surrounding their lives, and ask whether they really were Tutankhamun’s parents after all. If you’re a fan of…
People in this episode
Host: Greg Jenner
Guests: Dr Campbell Price, Sikisa
Topics covered
- ancient Egypt
- religious revolution
- pharaohs
- Nefertiti
- Akhenaten
- Tutankhamun
- archaeology
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: BBC Radio 4
Places: ancient Egypt, Thebes, 18th dynasty
More episodes of You're Dead to Me
- Emperor Constantine the Great: Christianity and the Roman Empire
- History of Underwear: from shirts and stays to bras and briefs
- Anne Bonny and Mary Read: real-life pirates of the Caribbean
- Medieval Saints: miracles, relics and pilgrimage
- Francis Galton: Victorian scientist and pioneer of eugenics
- The Iliad and Odyssey: heroic epics from ancient Greece
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the You're Dead to Me podcast page.