11 nov 1420 av. J.-C. - ANCHOR: Lunar

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THE AKHENATEN'S REIGN: AN EGYPTOLOGICAL DELIRIUM by Gerard Gertoux

The next step consists to verify Manetho's data through highest regnal dates combined with dates of accession and death. As Thutmose III died on III Peret 30 Year 54 (10 March 1418), the accession of Amenhotep II, his successor, should have dated on IV Peret 1. However it is dated IV Akhet 1, implying a gap of 4 months. Some authors consider that one of these dates is wrong but the chronology of the Asiatic campaigns of Amenhotep II, as his first campaign dated year 3 can only be explained if there is a co- regency of 2 years and 4 months at the end of the reign of Thutmose III52. During this co- regency Amenhotep II built the temple of Amada in Nubia whose decoration shares harmoniously between Thutmose III —depicted in the lower registers scenes— and Amenhotep II —featured in the upper registers. This co-regency53 is confirmed by a lunar date found in a papyrus (Leningrad 1116A) which mentions a grain delivery dated III Shemu 6 Year 19 of Amenhotep II for an offering of beer matching the 1st lunar day psdntyw54. According to Egyptian papyri, beer could be produced in 3 or 4 days and storage could not exceed 15 days for conservation reasons (if it was meant to be consumed, not offered in sacrifice). These technical considerations set the date of psdntyw day between 10 and 25 of III Shemu. In fact, since the grain offering was for worship, a beer storage forseveral days after the brewing was not necessary. The sequence had to be the following: recording the grain stock on 6 of III Shemu, then brewing of beer from 7 to 10 and offering on 11 (psdntyw day is therefore dated III Shemu 11 Year 19). Thus the co-regency of Amenhotep II which began 2 years and 4 months before the death of Thutmose III (10 March 1418), the IV Akhet 1 corresponds to 11 November in 1420 BCE, so the reign of 25 years and 10 months is the duration without the co-regency. The date of III Shemu 11 Year 19 of Amenhotep II matches the full moon of June 15, 1402 BCE (lunar cycles of 25 years begin at I Akhet 1 at the full moon of 13 August 1421 BCE and 7 August 1396 BCE. One can also note that the co-regency of Amenhotep II started from a new lunar cycle of 25 years). The next two reigns, those of Thutmose IV and Amenhotep III, do not present difficulty (no co-regency) and can be placed after that of Amenhotep II.

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