Temples of Power

Overview

Egypt without is unimaginable without its gods. Over the course of centuries, the priests steadily gained in power - until the year 1350 BC, when King Akhenaten comes to the throne. He breaks with the cult that has kept the country together for more than 1500 years. He sweeps away the power of the priesthood and their temples. It is the greatest cultural revolution in the history of Egypt. The old imperial God Amun is banned – a challenge to the religious tradition underpinning the Egyptian civilization. This episode depicts the dramatic rise and fall of Akhenaten and the central role religion played in the 3000-year success story of the Pharaohs.