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Syrian Kingmaker in ancient Egypt

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Part One: Recalling how Akhnaton came to the throne by Damien F. Mackey Whatever may have been the actual ethnicity of Amenhotep-Ben-Hadad-Abdi-ashirta, his successor, Amenhotep (so-called IV), or Akhnaton (Akhenaten), was undoubtedly a Syrian. Based on my recent article: Marvellous optimism of pharaoh Akhnaton (2) Marvellous optimism of pharaoh Akhnaton | Damien Mackey - Academia.edu pharaoh Amenhotep (so-called III) ‘the Magnificent’ was a mighty emperor, who ruled over both Syria and Egypt. ‘The Magnificent’ was the biblical king, Ben-Hadad I of the C9th BC (conventional dating), whom Dr. Immanuel Velikovsky had identified with the king of Amurru (Syria), Abdi-ashirta, of the El Amarna [EA] letters. This prominent king, thought to have been a vassal of Egypt, was in fact a master-king, with 32 other kings following him. So far I have not ventured into an explanation of how a king whom the Bible connects solely with Syria and its capital, Damascus, could have be...
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Nabataeans, so-called Umayyads, and the Lycians

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by Damien F. Mackey “… it is not surprising to postulate that the Nabataeans reached Lycia which is located within the Mediterranean basin, an area which had close links with the Nabataeans”. Zeyad al-Salameen The so-called Umayyad Caliphate, which is customarily dated to c. 660-750 AD, has been exposed by genuine archaeology as belonging, instead, to the approximate time of Jesus Christ. On this, see e.g. my article: Dumb and Dumbfounded archaeology (5) Dumb and Dumbfounded archaeology This is also the era of the highly influential Nabataeans, whom professor Gunnar Heinsohn (RIP) had actually identified as Umayyad. On this, see e.g. my article: Supposed C7th-C8th AD Umayyads belong to the Roman Nabataean era (5) Supposed C7th C8th AD Umayyads belong to the Roman Nabataean era The implications of this Umayyad revision, if correct, are mind-bogglingly enormous. In one stroke, stratigraphical archaeology will have wiped out (1) the traditional Mohammed (as a C7th A...
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Great King Hezekiah, archaeologically verified, but somewhat poorly known

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by Damien F. Mackey ‘I’ve never read a King Hezekiah of Judah like that before’. Professor Rifaat Ebied Such was basically the comment made by professor Rifaat Ebied of the Department of Hebrew, Biblical and Jewish Studies (University of Sydney), upon having read the draft of my doctoral thesis (2007): A Revised History of the Era of King Hezekiah of Judah and its Background AMAIC_Final_Thesis_2009.pdf However, as often occurred to me whilst writing that thesis, King Hezekiah of Judah, though presumably the focal point of the thesis, remained for the most part a largely obscure figure, unlike some of his contemporaries whom I was able to develop in far more detail. But, firstly, how did this thesis come about? Providentially, I would suggest (appropriately writing this early in the Holy Jubilee Year of 2025). In the (Holy) Year 2000 AD, professor Ebied asked me if I would like to do a doctoral thesis, and he gave me the choice of the era of King Hezekiah of Judah...
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Nadav Na’aman’s worthwhile proposal that Jehu’s Nimshide dynasty originated in the Gilead

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“In light of these combined data, I cautiously suggest that the central position the Gilead held in the Aramean-Israelite relations in the time of the Nimshides is the result of their origin from this region”. Nadav Na’aman “The Case for a Gileadite Origin of the Nimshide Dynasty” Gileadite_origin_of_Nimshides_BN.pdf Nadav Na’aman will sum up his article with five points: …. Discussion The numerous references to Gilead in the context of the struggle between Israel and Aram during the time of the Nimshide Dynasty call for an historical explanation. Why has the Gilead’s conquest by the Arameans in the time of Hazael and its later reconquest by Joash held such a prominent place in the biblical accounts of the time of the Nimshides? In an effort to answer this question, consider the following evidence: 1. The account of Jehu’s rebellion opened when he was posted at Ramoth Gilead and gained significant support from Hazael, the ruler of a neighbouring kingdom. 2. Elisha of A...
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Haman the Captive a perverter of the Joseph of Genesis story

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by Damien F. Mackey “The stories of Joseph’s exaltation and Jehoiachin’s elevation display significant parallels”. Paul S. Evans Scholars have noticed the intended parallels that exist between the Queen Esther drama and the account of Joseph, son of Jacob, in the Book of Genesis. One of these is Dr. Nicholas J. Schaser (“Esther and Joseph Part 1”, March 01, 2023), who, while picking up similar patterns between the two tales, reckons that “Esther’s story”, as it develops, “starts to look like a perverse version of Joseph’s experience”. And here I intend to argue that Haman the Captive himself was “a perverse version” of the Joseph, son of Jacob, whose career his own so strikingly resembles. Dr. Schaser writes: https://weekly.israelbiblecenter.com/esther-joseph-part During this festival of Purim, it is important to remember Esther and the role she played in saving the Jewish people under the Persian Empire. So important was Esther’s saving work, in fact, that the ...
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What has the Saudi government been up to at Mecca and Medina?

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“Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the eastern side of the Masjid al-Haram in Mecca”. Taken from: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-photos-saudi-arabia-doesn-t-want-seen-and-proof-islams-most-holy-relics-are-being-demolished-in-mecca-8536968.html The photos Saudi Arabia doesn't want seen – and proof Islam's most holy relics are being demolished in Mecca Archaeologists fear billion-pound development has led to destruction of key historical sites Jerome Taylor Friday 15 March 2013 …. The authorities in Saudi Arabia have begun dismantling some of the oldest sections of Islam’s most important mosque as part of a highly controversial multi-billion pound expansion. Photographs obtained by The Independent reveal how workers with drills and mechanical diggers have started demolishing some Ottoman and Abbasid sections on the east...
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Suspect archaeology of Mecca

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Access is being denied to certain key archaeological sites and finds. 1. We read of it in the case of Göbekli Tepe in Turkey and we saw the photos: World Economic Forum puts lid on Gobekli Tepe (2) World Economic Forum puts lid on Gobekli Tepe https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BXsMgp8KLc The Gobekli Tepe “Situation” is WORSE Than I Thought 2. We read of it in the case of Ebla in Syria, for example: Scandal of Ebla https://www.academia.edu/67727873/Scandal_of_Ebla 3. And Dr. Jay Smith has told of the same sort of thing happening in relation to Mecca and Medina. Read also this article: What has the Saudi government been up to at Mecca and Medina? https://www.academia.edu/126799391/What_has_the_Saudi_government_been_up_to_at_Mecca_and_Medina Agenda-driven powers that be, or local authorities, are concreting over, censoring, and taking away reasonable access to, some highly significant archaeological sites. In light of all this, I (Damien Mackey) was interested to ...
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