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List of pharaohs deified during lifetime

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Temple of Ramesses II at Abu Simbel, Egypt depicting, from left to right, the god Ra-Horakhty, the deified form of Ramesses II, and the gods Amun Ra and Ptah

In ancient Egypt, it was standard for pharaohs to be worshiped posthumously as transfigured being among the royal ancestors. However, it was exceedingly rare for this deification to be done during the lifetime of the pharaoh.[1] A few pharaohs are exceptions to this.

During-lifetime deified pharaohs

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A few pharaohs have been confirmed to have been worshiped as deities during their lifetime

Amenhotep III deified himself towards the end of his lifetime as the dazzling Aten.[8] [9]

Possibly during-lifetime deified pharaohs

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There is some evidence or speculation that other pharaohs were deified during their lifetimes.

Pharaoh Akhenaten intended to deify himself during his Atenism religiopolitical upheaval.[10]

Other during-lifetime deified royalty

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There is at least one instance of a non-pharaoh royalty being deified during their lifetime.

Queen Tiye was the wife of Amenhotep III, and played a major role during his reign.[12]

References

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  1. ^ Bryson, Karen (Maggie) (2018-11-16). ""Man, King, God? The Deification of Horemheb"". Academia.edu. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  2. ^ Martin, Geoffrey Thorndike (1989). The Memphite Tomb of Ḥoremḥeb, Commander-in-chief of Tutʻankhamūn: Human skeletal remains. London: Egypt Exploration Society. p. 72,73. ISBN 978-0-85698-188-3.
  3. ^ Bryson, Karen M (2018-04-13). "The Reign of Horemheb: History, Historiography, and the Dawn of the Ramesside Era". JScholarship. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  4. ^ Kozloff, Arielle P. (2012-02-20). Amenhotep III. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press. p. 2, 51, 121, 174, 197. ISBN 1-107-01196-5.
  5. ^ Lichtheim, Miriam (1973). "Features of the Deification of Rameses II . Labib Habachi". Journal of Near Eastern Studies. 32 (3): 354–355. doi:10.1086/372293. ISSN 0022-2968.
  6. ^ "The Oxford Guide: Essential Guide to Egyptian Mythology", Edited by Donald B. Redford, p. 85, Berkley, 2003, ISBN 0-425-19096-X
  7. ^ Press, Oxford University (2003). The Oxford Essential Guide to Egyptian Mythology. Berkley Books. p. 85. ISBN 978-0-425-19096-8.
  8. ^ O'Connor, David Bourke; Cline, Eric H. (2001). Amenhotep III: perspectives on his reign. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 87, 89-91, 94, 294. ISBN 0-472-08833-5.
  9. ^ Tutankhamun: discovering the forgotten Pharaoh: exhibition organized at the Europa expo space TGV train station "les Guillemins", Liège, 14th December 2019-30th August 2020. Liège: Presses universitaires de Liège. 2020. p. 239. ISBN 2-87562-245-5.
  10. ^ Wade, Sabrina (2021-10-01). "Atenism and Pharaoh Akhenaten's Attempt to Deify Himself". Armstrong Undergraduate Journal of History. 11 (2). doi:10.20429/aujh.2021.110201. ISSN 2163-8551. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
  11. ^ Darnell, John Coleman; Manassa, Colleen (2007-08-03). Tutankhamun's Armies. Hoboken, N.J.: John Wiley & Sons. p. 24. ISBN 0-471-74358-5.
  12. ^ "Queen Tiye and her Family". ProQuest. 2000-01-01. Retrieved 2025-01-06.
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