1 definition by RickyB
The word Amen in Egyptian use
1. Amen (Amon, Amun, Ammon, Amoun, Amen-Ra,) The King of the Egyptian gods. He was the personification of the unknown and hidden powers of creation. Amon was the Vizier of the poor, protected the weak from the strong and was the upholder of Justice. Worshippers who requested favors from Amen were required to confess their sins prior or otherwise show their worthiness. This God himself was said to be "hidden". When shown in seated form, The god Amen holds the scepter of ruler-ship in one hand, and the symbol of life in the other. Amen's female counterpart and consort was Ament (aka Amaunet, Mut). As Thoth, Amen was one of the eight primary Egyptian gods of Creation. Initially the God of Thebes, Amon became the promenent god in the Upper Eygpt kingdom, following a period of conquest by the 11th Dynasy's Princes. According to later traditions, Amon was a self created god. Political maneuverings by the priests and certain nobles eventually destroyed Amon's popularity among the people, (from movements in Thutmosis IV's reign, until it came to a head in Akhetaten's reign when that pharaoh began a campaign to remove the name Amon from all public places. Tutankhamon tried to restore the old gods, however for Amon, this was only marginally successful as the country focused on the Osirian Gods.)
2. The Eygptian root of Amen is "Hidden" and was common usage in texts of all the Egyptian periods to infer: What was hidden, what can not be seen, what is not seen, and similar usage.
3. In Ptolemaic period the name Amen was connected with the root "men" (meaning: to be permanent, eternal, to abide).
1. Amen (Amon, Amun, Ammon, Amoun, Amen-Ra,) The King of the Egyptian gods. He was the personification of the unknown and hidden powers of creation. Amon was the Vizier of the poor, protected the weak from the strong and was the upholder of Justice. Worshippers who requested favors from Amen were required to confess their sins prior or otherwise show their worthiness. This God himself was said to be "hidden". When shown in seated form, The god Amen holds the scepter of ruler-ship in one hand, and the symbol of life in the other. Amen's female counterpart and consort was Ament (aka Amaunet, Mut). As Thoth, Amen was one of the eight primary Egyptian gods of Creation. Initially the God of Thebes, Amon became the promenent god in the Upper Eygpt kingdom, following a period of conquest by the 11th Dynasy's Princes. According to later traditions, Amon was a self created god. Political maneuverings by the priests and certain nobles eventually destroyed Amon's popularity among the people, (from movements in Thutmosis IV's reign, until it came to a head in Akhetaten's reign when that pharaoh began a campaign to remove the name Amon from all public places. Tutankhamon tried to restore the old gods, however for Amon, this was only marginally successful as the country focused on the Osirian Gods.)
2. The Eygptian root of Amen is "Hidden" and was common usage in texts of all the Egyptian periods to infer: What was hidden, what can not be seen, what is not seen, and similar usage.
3. In Ptolemaic period the name Amen was connected with the root "men" (meaning: to be permanent, eternal, to abide).
by RickyB September 23, 2007