Paatenemheb

Paatenemheb
Horemheb as a scribe. His identification with Paatenemheb is still matter of debate.
Dynasty18th Dynasty
PharaohAmenhotep III, Akhenaten
BurialAmarna Tomb 24

Paatenemheb ("the Aten [is] in festival"[1]: 287 ) was an ancient Egyptian official who served under pharaohs Amenhotep III and Akhenaten of the 18th Dynasty.[2]

Biography

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Paatenemheb[3]: 15 
Pȝ-jtn-m-ḥ-b
in hieroglyphs
Era: New Kingdom
(1550–1069 BC)

Paatenemheb made his way into the ranks of the military to become commander-in-chief of Akhenaten’s army.[4]: 242 

His tomb is among those of the nobles in Amarna (TA24).[5]: 154  It was barely started, and even the descending stairs were roughly hewn. The few inscriptions from the entrance are no longer visible, but these were recorded at the time of the discovery and reported the titles he had in life: Royal Scribe, Overseer of the soldiery of the Lord of the Two Lands, Steward of the Lord of the Two Lands, and Overseer of porters in Akhetaten.[3]: 15 

Identification with Horemheb

It is still uncertain if Paatenemheb was none other than pharaoh Horemheb in his early career — before adopting a name more appropriate to the post-Amarnan religious restoration — or if they were two separate individuals.[2]

Such equation is seen as possible by Aidan Dodson and Dyan Hilton.[5]: 154  Back in 1906 James Henry Breasted was open for the possibility, but thought it more likely that Paatenemheb was to be rather identified with the future High Priest of Ra Paraemheb instead.[6]: 13  Toby Wilkinson even contemplates the chance that Paatenhemeb may have switched his name twice: born as Horemheb, changed to Paatenemheb during Akhenaten’s reign, and conveniently reverted to Horemheb after Akenaten’s death.[1]: 287 
Conversely, Nicolas Grimal argued that the two apparently were two different persons.[4]: 242 

References

  1. ^ a b Wilkinson, Toby (2010). The Rise and Fall of Ancient Egypt. Random House. ISBN 978-0-679-60429-7.
  2. ^ a b King Horemheb as Amun-Re, Dyn. 18, on Virtual Egyptian Museum.
  3. ^ a b de Garis Davies, N. (1908). The rock tombs of El-Amarna, Part V: Smaller Tombs and Boundary Stelae. The Egypt Exploration Society. ISBN 0-85698-161-3.
  4. ^ a b Grimal, Nicolas (1992). A History of Ancient Egypt. Oxford: Blackwell Books. p. 512. ISBN 9780631174721.
  5. ^ a b Dodson, Aidan; Hilton, Dyan (2010). The Complete Royal Families of Ancient Egypt. Thames & Hudson. ISBN 978-0-500-28857-3.
  6. ^ Breasted, James H. (1906). Ancient Records of Egypt: Historical Documents from the Earliest Times to the Persian Conquest, collected, edited, and translated, with Commentary. Volume III: The twentieth to the twenty-sixth dynasties. University of Chicago Press.

See also