Part 2/8:
Akhenaten assumed the throne in 1353 BC and ruled for 17 years, a period characterized by radical shifts in religious and cultural practices. He orchestrated a departure from Egypt's traditional pantheon of gods, favoring instead the worship of Aten, the sun god. This radical transformation laid the foundation for a new sacred city, Amarna. Some theorists suggest a more powerful influence triggered these changes, proposing that Akhenaten's fascination with the Aten may have been inspired by an extraterrestrial encounter rather than divine inspiration.