Amenhotep IV, that is Akhenaten, was a controversial figure in his day and remains one today. He believed in the sun god, Aten, as the only god; thus, he can be viewed as monotheistic. Using his one god, he attempted to play down the political and religious importance of the other gods and their priesthood's. At this point in time, the priesthood was the most powerful political force in the country. This restructuring of religion was highly resented by the priests at Thebes, as well as other priests elsewhere.

In our time Akhenaten is seen by Christian Egyptologists and modern religious leaders as the precursor of the one-god concept of the Hebrews, and the idea which then carried on to Christianity and the Moslem religion. It is not clear that these scholars are not reading too much into the religious reforms of Akhenaten. His motivations may have been more political than truly religious, or even if he was a true believer of the sun god, as a single entity, it is not clear this belief is close to a modern conception of God, nor that it inspired Moses or the Jews in anyway. An easy way to visualize this bit of history to rent the film The Egyptian, which explores this story, from a Christian point of view.

Akhenaten was married to one of the most famous women in Egyptian history: Nefertiti A plaster bust of her was found in the ruins of a sculptor's workshop. It was probably a model for an artist to work from; so that she didn't have to sit for other sculptures. Nefertiti had at least two daughters by Akhenaten, and he may have had other children as well.

Egyptian conventions in art changed dramatically in Akhenaten's reign. Representations of the pharaoh became more realistic. Akhenaten had a peculiar almost pregnant shape with elongated breasts, which is faithfully represented in the art of the period. It was probably due to some hormonal imbalance, but it did not prevent the king from having several children.