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[[File:Akhenaten_as_a_Sphinx_(Kestner_Museum).jpg|thumbnail|left|Akhenaten as a Sphinx with the Sun God]]
The first monotheistic religion developed in Ancient Egypt during the reign of Akhenaten, but it failed to gain a foothold and disappeared soon after his death. Monotheism did not become a permanent fixture in the world until the adoption of monotheism by Hebrews in Babylon. While monotheism is often seen as something that has derived from Judaism, the history of how monotheism became pervasive and expanded beyond Judaism is complex. Integrating both historical and archaeological data, we find that the rise of monotheism has been influenced by key political events. These political events help transform not just these early monotheistic faiths but also by extension many parts of the world today.
====First Evidence of MonotheismMonotheist Religion====How did monotheism start? The first evidence of monotheism emerges from Egypt in the 14th century BC BCE (1353-1336 BC) during the reign of Akhenaten.<ref>For information about Akhenaten see: Reeves, Nicholas. 2005. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0500051062/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0500051062&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=677e84cbaa3df8a547a903e9e58c82b0 Akhenaten: Egypt’s False Prophet]''. 1. Aufl. London: Thames & Hudson.</ref> The king was known to have worshiped Aten, the sun disk god (Figure 1). While initially , Akhenaten allowed the worship of many gods, as Egyptian kings had always done so, by the 5th year of his reign there was a decisive movement move that made the worship of Aten the only recognized cult religion in the countrykingdom.
[[File:376px-Statuette_Goddess_Louvre_AO20127.jpg|thumbnail|200px|left|Figurine of Astarte (Asherah) with a horned headdress, Louvre Museum]]
==The New Monotheism==Ancient Judaism: Not Very Monotheistic====[[File:Zeus_Yahweh.jpg|thumbnail|250px|left|4th Century BC Phoenician coin with a image In Biblical chronology, we see that possibly represents Yaweh.]]Perhaps more critical to monotheism is not what occurred in the period establishment of the state of Judah and Israel but what happened afterwardswould constitute the world’s first true monotheistic state. In 587 BCHowever, Jerusalem the reality is there is no evidence yet that shows monotheism existed or was sackedbeyond a limited minority either in Judah or Israel, which constituted a major crisis for the two main states of the Jewish population of Judahpeople in the Bible.<ref>For a history on information regarding the exile diversity of the Jews from gods in ancient Israel and Judah , see: Lipschitz Stavrakopoulou, OdedFrancesca, and Joseph BlenkinsoppJohn Barton, eds. 20032010. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/15750607360567032167/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=15750607360567032167&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=843b06a4bf8a1afaa936dace0527238e a6fddd78b93aaa866baffd50a135f2a0 Religious Diversity in Ancient Israel and Judah and the Judeans in the Neo-Babylonian Period]’’''. Winona Lake, IndLondon ; New York: EisenbraunsT & T Clark.</ref> Many elites were taken to Babylon and this began a long period In fact, excavations throughout modern Israel commonly reveal the existence of the Jewish diaspora in places such as Mesopotamia (i.eother gods.In particular, IraqAsherah (or Astarte) that lasted until after World War II, was worshiped, likely in conjunction with Yahweh, the Jewish god. We see soon after this period a greater emphasis on While the Jewish Yahwehgod may have been the main god, while it appears other gods are now depicted in were worshiped and accepted by much of the Jewish population. Perhaps one of the starkest indications that monotheism, if it existed at all, would have been limited a negative light and very small minority of Jews. During the 8th century BC, archeologists have found evidence that suggests that Yahweh is mentioned as was married or coupled with the only godgoddess Asherah.<ref>For indication of monotheism during the post-Babylonian exile period and its predecessors information about this inscription, see: SchneiderRuether, Laurel CRosemary Radford. 20082006. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/04159419110520250052/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=04159419110520250052&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=d65b1e1dca811b52f37f6d5cae77a156 Beyond Monotheismd016bd8cf492a027e3ef5cd3d600f5b7 Goddesses and the Divine Feminine: A Theology of MultiplicityWestern Religious History]''. London, [England] ; New York1. paperback print. Berkeley: RoutledgeUniv.</ref> In other words, the theology began to be monotheistic by at least after the period of the exile in BabylonCalif. This could be due to the fact that the main temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem was destroyedPress, negating any way to properly worship the godpg. Regardless, what is clear is monotheism only began to obtain greater traction after the destruction of the temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem74. </ref>
<dh-ad/> In other words, the theology began to be monotheistic by at least after the period of the exile in Babylon. This could be due to the fact that the main temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem was destroyed, negating any way to properly worship the god. Regardless, what is clear is monotheism only began to obtain greater traction after the destruction of the temple to Yahweh in Jerusalem. Perhaps also critical to these developments were other religious changes occurring to the Near East from the period of the Achaemenid Empire (550-330 BC) and later. This period introduces a new god, Ahura Mazda, to the wider Near East. While this may not seem significant, this god began to be associated with the emerging religion of Zoroastrianism.<ref>For information about Zoroastrianism see: Boyce, Mary. 1996. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/9004092714/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=9004092714&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=89511a221a1a75eb734672874e72f015 A History of Zoroastrianism]''. 3rd impression, with corrections. Handbuch Der Orientalistik. Erste Abteilung, Der Nahe Und Mittlere Osten, 13. Bd., Religion, 1. Abschnitt, Religionsgeschichte des Alten Orients, Lfg. 2, Heft 2A. Leiden ; New York: E.J. Brill.</ref> Zoroastrianism eventually (i.e., this is unclear how this religion develops or when it develops its main tenants) becomes the earliest faith which depicts a single good god fighting an evil deity (Angra Mainyu) in a great cosmic struggle affecting the whole world (i.e., a universal faith). Furthermore, this good vs. evil struggle is also depicted in the eventual resurrection of the dead during a judgment day on Earth, where the good goes to a type of heaven. What this suggests is that Judaism, or at least very likely Christianity, may have been influenced by Zoroastrianism’s concepts of good vs. evil, as the major tenants that Christianity adopts, such as the concept of God vs. Satan and judgment day, were already present in Zoroastrianism. ====The Rise of Monotheism parallels the Rise of Empires====<div class="portal" style='float:right; width:35%'>====Related Articles===={{#dpl:category=Religious History|ordermethod=firstedit|order=descending|count=8}}</div>What is also telling is that monotheism only appears to emerge during a period when larger states and empires were present. In fact, all religions that we can call monotheistic, or more accurately universal religions (i.e., a religion relevant to all people and not just a population group; e.g., Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Manichaeism) develop at a time of large scale empires where kings were now being called “king of kings” and seen as unifiers of many people.<ref>For the concept of “king of kings” and larger unification of multiple populations during the period of the large empires see: Shayegan, M. Rahim. 2011. ''[https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521766419/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521766419&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=1f93b445436f466baed1d819eb20554d Arsacids and Sasanians: Political Ideology in Post-Hellenistic and Late Antique Persia]''. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press.</ref> In essence, before a single or universal god became the norm, the concept of a universal king or emperor became well established. This likely makes the idea of a single political unity more palatable for multiple population groups. We know universal empires sought to unify people through a common government and other common cultural links, including through the economy.<ref>For information about emerging concepts of universalism in empires see: Cline, Eric H., and Mark W. Graham. 2011. [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0521717809/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0521717809&linkCode=as2&tag=dailyh0c-20&linkId=a411bd2ba7d644e44a13cf9065a4430e <i>Ancient Empires: From Mesopotamia to the Rise of Islam</i>]. Cambridge ; New York: Cambridge University Press.</ref> Therefore, it may not be a surprise that universal empires helped to create philosophies of universal religions and ideas, as the ideas of greater unity between populations had already become well established. On the other hand, during the period when Yahweh, for instance, was the chief god in Judah, we see no evidence that this god was considered the only god and certainly he was only associated with the Jewish people. In essence, the mental constructs of god in the pre-Babylonian exile period (i.e., before the 6th century BC) do not appear to incorporate God as being the only god. The development seems to happen later, perhaps under the presence of empires and/or the desire to transform an existing religion due to changes in political circumstances such as the loss of Jerusalem. ====Conclusion====
What is clear is monotheism was not something that clearly develops for a long period of time. We can see archaeological and historically that at least through the first half of the first millennium BC polytheism dominated. The later monotheistic faith of Judaism appears to initially be a polytheistic religion. After the influence of empires and the loss of the Judean temple, we begin to see greater transformations toward monotheism. This eventually gives rise to modern monotheistic Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Along the way, Zoroastrianism likely played an influential role in these universal faiths.
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Updated May 4, 2019.
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