Moses and Akhenaten
one and the same person By Ahmed Osman

Back From Exile

On hearing about Horemheb’s death, Akhenaten decided to leave his exile in Sinai and come back to Egypt, in order to reclaim his throne. Since his abdication, he had been living in exile in southern Sinai, with few of his followers, for about twenty five years, during the reigns of Tutankhamun, Aye, and Horemheb. Here, Akhenaten lived among the Shasu (Midianites) Bedouins with whom he formed an alliance.

In his rough Bedouin cloths, Akhenaten arrived at Pa-Ramses’ residence in the border city of Zarw, his birthplace that has turned to a prison for his followers. General Pa-Ramses, by now an old man, was making arrangements for his coronation, and getting ready to become the first ruler of a new 19th Ramesside dynasty, when he was informed of Akhenaten’s arrival. Akhenaten challenged Pa-Ramses’ right to the throne. The general, taken by surprise, decided to call a meeting of the wise men of Egypt to decide between them. At the gathering Akhenaten produced his scepter of royal power, which he had taken with him to exile, and performed some secret rituals, which only the king had the knowledge of. Once they saw the scepter of royal authority and Akhenaten’s performance of the rituals, the wise men fell down in adoration in front of him, and declared him to be the legitimate king of Egypt. Ramses, however, who was in control of the army, refused to accept the wise men’s verdict and decided to establish his rule by force.