Amanitore
Kushite queen regnant who co-ruled with her son Natakamani.
Amanitore, also spelled Amanitere or Amanitare, was a queen regnant of the Kingdom of Kush, ruling from Meroë in the middle of the 1st century AD. She ruled together with her son, Natakamani, in a co-reign that is well attested and appears to have been a prosperous time. They may have been contemporaries of the emperor Nero.
- born
- Not specified in source
- died
- Not specified in source
- field
- Ruler of Kush
- nationality
- Kushite
- known_for
- Co-reign with son Natakamani; building projects; possible mention in Acts 8:26–40
Lore & Background
Amanitore and Natakamani are known from their tombs and from numerous monuments where the two are depicted together. Older scholars assumed Amanitore was Natakamani's wife, but they are now assumed to have been mother and son, because an ancient graffito at the Temple of Dakka suggests that Amanitore was Natakamani's mother. During their co-reign, only Natakamani was explicitly titled as ruler (qore), with Amanitore being titled as kandake (queen consort/mother); however, both are clearly depicted as co-rulers with equal power, shown with the regalia and attire of kings. Neither is ever attested to have ruled alone without the other. Amanitore is buried in her own pyramid in Meroë, Beg. N 1, which is approximately six metres square at its base and not a pyramid in the mathematical sense. Her royal palace was at Jebel Barkal in modern-day Sudan, now a UNESCO heritage site, and her area of rule was between the Nile and the Atbara rivers.
Reader's Guide
Amanitore was among the last 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 were also constructed at Meroë during her reign. The two rulers also built Amun temples at Naqa and Amara. The quantity of building 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 may be the kandake mentioned in the Bible in Acts 8:26–40, in the story about the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch. Three crown princes are attested in her co-reign: Arikhankharer, Arikakahtani, and Shorkaror. Only Shorkaror is attested to have become king, as the other two are believed to have predeceased Natakamani and Amanitore. Amanitore and Natakamani may have been preceded by Amanikhabale and were succeeded by Shorkaror.
Did You Know?
- Amanitore ruled together with her son Natakamani, not as his wife.
- Her royal palace was at Jebel Barkal in modern-day Sudan, now a UNESCO heritage site.
- She may be the kandake mentioned in the Bible in Acts 8:26–40.
- Her pyramid at Meroë is approximately six metres square at its base and not a pyramid in the mathematical sense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Amanitore?
Amanitore (also spelled Amanitere or Amanitare) was a queen regnant of the Kingdom of Kush, governing from the capital at Meroë in the mid-first century AD. She stands as one of the better-documented Kushite sovereigns from that period.
Who did Amanitore co-rule with?
She shared the throne with her son Natakamani in a joint reign that is well attested in the archaeological record. Their partnership apparently presided over a notably prosperous stretch for the kingdom.
What is Amanitore most known for?
Her building projects at Meroë and the stability of her co-reign with Natakamani are her primary claims to fame. Some scholars have also speculated that she may connect to the Ethiopian eunuch referenced in Acts 8:26–40, though that link remains unconfirmed.
When exactly did Amanitore rule?
Her reign is placed in the middle of the first century AD, which would make her a rough contemporary of the Roman emperor Nero. Neither her birth year nor her death year survives in the record.
What was the political structure of Kush during her reign?
Kush was centered at Meroë and operated as a distinct regional power in its own right. Amanitore's co-rule with Natakamani is regarded as one of the more stable and prosperous periods in the kingdom's history.
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