Amanitore
Encyclopedia
Amanitore was a Nubian Kandake
(queen) of the ancient Kushitic Kingdom
of Meroë
, which also is referred to as Nubia
in many ancient sources. An alternate spelling is Kandace, Kandake, or Kentake. In Egyptian hieroglyphics the throne name of Amanitore reads as Merkare. Many Candaces are described as warrior queens
who led forces in battle.
Kandace Amanitore often is mentioned as co-regent with Natakamani
although the evidence does not show whether she was his wife or mother.
Her royal palace was at Gebel Barkal which now is a UNESCO
heritage site. The area of her rule was between the Nile and the Atbara rivers.
She was part of the Meroitic
historical period and her reign began in 1 BC. The rule of her successor, Amanitaraqide, was complete by 50 AD.
Amanitore is mentioned in a number of texts as a ruler. These include the temple at the Nubian capital of Napata
in present day Sudan
, in a temple in Meroë near Shendi
, again in Sudan, and at the Naga Lion Temple.
Images of Natakamani frequently include an image of Amanitore, however, it could be that Amanitore was his mother rather than his wife. A Kandake
was a powerful position in the hierarchy of Kush
. The mothers would rule and create their sons as rulers, but they also deposed their own sons too. In fact, a Kandake could order the king to commit suicide
to end his rule, an order that he was required to follow.
Amanitore is buried in her own pyramid
in Meroë. The tomb is approximately six metres square at its base, and not a pyramid in the strictest sense.
Some sources say otherwise, but she is said to be mentioned in the Bible
in the story about the conversion of the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-40:
Amanitore was among the last great Kush builders. She was involved in restoring the large temple for Amun
at Meroë and the Amun temple at Napata after it was demolished by the Romans. Reservoirs for the retention of water also were constructed at Meroë during her reign. The two rulers also built Amun temples at Naqa
and Amara
.
The quantity of building that was completed during the middle part of the first century indicates that this was the most prosperous time in Meroitic history. More than two hundred Nubian pyramids
were built, most plundered in ancient times.
Amanitore has been well regarded by historians and has been included as number thirty-nine on a list of The Fifty Greatest Africans although she sometimes is referred to, incorrectly, as an Egyptian. The country is immediately south of what was Ancient Egypt
and shared its language in surviving texts. Other aspects of the culture differ significantly, but are not well known and others seem to have influenced the Ancient Egyptian culture—including religious influences. It was a wealthy country, having large resources of gold, and exported jewelry, exotic animals, and textiles.
Kandake
Kandake or Kentake, also Candace, was the title for queens and queen mothers of the ancient African Kingdom of Kush, also known as Nubia and Ethiopia....
(queen) of the ancient Kushitic Kingdom
Kingdom of Kush
The native name of the Kingdom was likely kaš, recorded in Egyptian as .The name Kash is probably connected to Cush in the Hebrew Bible , son of Ham ....
of Meroë
Meroë
Meroë Meroitic: Medewi or Bedewi; Arabic: and Meruwi) is an ancient city on the east bank of the Nile about 6 km north-east of the Kabushiya station near Shendi, Sudan, approximately 200 km north-east of Khartoum. Near the site are a group of villages called Bagrawiyah...
, which also is referred to as Nubia
Nubia
Nubia is a region along the Nile river, which is located in northern Sudan and southern Egypt.There were a number of small Nubian kingdoms throughout the Middle Ages, the last of which collapsed in 1504, when Nubia became divided between Egypt and the Sennar sultanate resulting in the Arabization...
in many ancient sources. An alternate spelling is Kandace, Kandake, or Kentake. In Egyptian hieroglyphics the throne name of Amanitore reads as Merkare. Many Candaces are described as warrior queens
Warrior
A warrior is a person skilled in combat or warfare, especially within the context of a tribal or clan-based society that recognizes a separate warrior class.-Warrior classes in tribal culture:...
who led forces in battle.
Kandace Amanitore often is mentioned as co-regent with Natakamani
Natakamani
Natakamani was a King of Kush who reigned from around or earlier than 1 BC to circa AD 20. Natakamani is the best attested ruler of the Meroitic period. He was born to queen Amanishakheto....
although the evidence does not show whether she was his wife or mother.
Her royal palace was at Gebel Barkal which now is a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
heritage site. The area of her rule was between the Nile and the Atbara rivers.
She was part of the Meroitic
Meroitic
Meroitic is an adjective referring to things related to the kingdom of Meroë in pre-Islamic Sudan.* The Meroitic period was approximately 300 BC to 400 AD.* The Meroitic script was their writing system....
historical period and her reign began in 1 BC. The rule of her successor, Amanitaraqide, was complete by 50 AD.
Napata
Napata was a city-state of ancient Nubia on the west bank of the Nile River, at the site of modern Karima, Northern Sudan.During the 8th to 7th centuries BC, Napata was the capital of the Nubian kingdom of Kush, whence the 25th, or Nubian Dynasty conquered Egypt...
in present day Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
, in a temple in Meroë near Shendi
Shendi
Shendi or Shandi is a town in northern Sudan, situated on the east bank of the Nile 150 km northeast of Khartoum. Shandi is also about 45 km southwest of the ancient city of Meroe. Located in the River Nile wilayah, Shandi is the center of the Ja'aliin tribe and an important historic...
, again in Sudan, and at the Naga Lion Temple.
Images of Natakamani frequently include an image of Amanitore, however, it could be that Amanitore was his mother rather than his wife. A Kandake
Kandake
Kandake or Kentake, also Candace, was the title for queens and queen mothers of the ancient African Kingdom of Kush, also known as Nubia and Ethiopia....
was a powerful position in the hierarchy of Kush
Kingdom of Kush
The native name of the Kingdom was likely kaš, recorded in Egyptian as .The name Kash is probably connected to Cush in the Hebrew Bible , son of Ham ....
. The mothers would rule and create their sons as rulers, but they also deposed their own sons too. In fact, a Kandake could order the king to commit suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
to end his rule, an order that he was required to follow.
Pyramid
A pyramid is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge at a single point. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilateral, or any polygon shape, meaning that a pyramid has at least three triangular surfaces...
in Meroë. The tomb is approximately six metres square at its base, and not a pyramid in the strictest sense.
Some sources say otherwise, but she is said to be mentioned in the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in the story about the conversion of the Ethiopian in Acts 8:26-40:
Amanitore was among the last great Kush builders. She was involved in restoring the large temple for Amun
Amun
Amun, reconstructed Egyptian Yamānu , was a god in Egyptian mythology who in the form of Amun-Ra became the focus of the most complex system of theology in Ancient Egypt...
at Meroë and the Amun temple at Napata after it was demolished by the Romans. Reservoirs for the retention of water also were constructed at Meroë during her reign. The two rulers also built Amun temples at Naqa
Naqa
Naqa or Naga'a is a ruined ancient city of the Kushitic Kingdom of Meroë in modern-day Sudan. The ancient city lies about 170 kilometers north-east of Khartoum and about 50 kilometers east of the Nile River...
and Amara
Amara
Amara, the sun beetles, are a large genus of carabid beetles, mostly holarctic, but a few species are neotropical or occurring in eastern Asia.These ground beetles are mostly black or bronze-coloured...
.
Nubian pyramids
Nubian pyramids are pyramids that were built by the rulers of the Kushite and Egyptian kingdoms. Prior to the Kushites building these pyramids , there had been no pyramid construction in Egypt and the Nile Valley for more than 500 years.The area of the Nile valley known as Nubia, which lies within...
were built, most plundered in ancient times.
Amanitore has been well regarded by historians and has been included as number thirty-nine on a list of The Fifty Greatest Africans although she sometimes is referred to, incorrectly, as an Egyptian. The country is immediately south of what was Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt
Ancient Egypt was an ancient civilization of Northeastern Africa, concentrated along the lower reaches of the Nile River in what is now the modern country of Egypt. Egyptian civilization coalesced around 3150 BC with the political unification of Upper and Lower Egypt under the first pharaoh...
and shared its language in surviving texts. Other aspects of the culture differ significantly, but are not well known and others seem to have influenced the Ancient Egyptian culture—including religious influences. It was a wealthy country, having large resources of gold, and exported jewelry, exotic animals, and textiles.