This is  work in progress with the purpose of exploring and reevaluating the work of Immanuel Velikovsky in Oedipus and Akhnaton: Myth and History (Garden City: Doubleday, 1960).   Broadly speaking, Velikovsky argues that the Pharaonic house and family of Amenhotep III through Ay of the 18th Dynasty in New Kingdom Egypt provides the historical inspiration for the Greek myth of the Theban rulers from Laios through Kreon.

Much of the evidence and knowledge about both the Greek and Egyptian lines here is very complicated and much disputed.  For some background, consult

• Megaera Lorenz's Akhenaten web page provides a wealth of accessible and up-to-date information on the complexities and wonders of the end of the 18th Dynasty.
• The Perseus Project has the text of the ancient Greek mythographer Apollodorus on the royal line at Thebes, with notes and further links.
• The Immanuel Velikovsky Archive provides detailed information about Velikovsky and his work, including unpublished writings.
• Because Velikovsky's work is controversial to some, dismissed by others, and ignored by many, it is worth reading what his critics have to say.  The Skeptic's Dictionary on Velikovsky provides a good overview and further links.

	Amenophis (aka Amenhotep) III Rules Thebes in Egypt for 38 years Sed festivals included wine under auspices of the goddess Hathor, "lady of drunkenness" (cf. Sphinx below) Favors son Tuthmosis to become next pharoah as Tuthmosis V, but the prince dies and Amenhotep (Amenophis) IV appears for the first time, as a grown man	Laius (aka Laios) Rules Thebes in Boeitia long enough to raise a son to adulthood plus other adventures Warned by an oracle that his son would kill him, he gets drunk and sleeps with his  wife Exposes baby but son is raised in Corinth and returns as grown man
	Queen Tiy Powerful Ruler with Amenophis III Remains powerful when her son Amenophis IV becomes Pharoah Sister of Ay, who becomes Pharoah after her two grandsons, Tutankhamen and Smenkhare.	Jocasta (aka Epicosta, Iokaste, Epikoste) Queen with Laius Queen with her son Oedipus Sister of Creon, who becomes king of Thebes after her two grandsons, Polynices and Eteocles.
	Amenophis (aka Amenhotep) IV later Akhenaten Appears for the first time as grown man, in succession to throne Changes his name away from father's name and defaces his father's monuments Rules as Pharoah with mother Tiy still influential	Oedipus (aka Oidipous) Raised in Corinth and returns to rule Thebes as grown man Murders his father Laius Rules with his mother Jocasta after Laius is dead	Oedipus with the  Sphinx
	Queen Nefertiti Royal wife of Amenophis (Amenhotep) IV, later Akhenaten when Pharoah May have had as many as six children with Akhenaten, but four are prominent.  The two sons (Tutankhamen and Smenkhare) become the next two pharoahs.	Euryganeia Wife of Oedipus Had four children with Oedipus (originally Jocasta had two others and later it is changed so that Jocasta has the four originally ascribed to Euryganeia).  The two sons become (Eteocles and Polynices) become the next two kings of Thebes.

INCEST One of the most famous aspects of the Oedipus legend is, of course, Oedipus marrying his mother and, in many versions (but not all) producing children by her. Is there an Egyptian parallel?  The drawing at the right shows a tomb wall depicting the pharaoh Akhenaten (center) facing his mother Tiy and with his wife Nefertiti behind him.  Two of Akhenaten and Nefertiti's children are show with her.  A child named Beketaten is shown with Tiy.  No one can agree on exactly who Beketaten's parents are.  This picture suggests she is Tiy's and she is identified as the son of the "pharoah's body."  Velikovsky argues that Beketaten is Tiy's child by Akhenaten. A neighboring people, the Mitanni, were powerful during the time of the 18th Dynasty and had diplomatic relations the Pharoahs, which included intermarrying.  The Mitanni followed an ancient Persian religion which included the concept of xvaetvadatha, the sacred sexual union between family members.  Such unions were prestigious, including that between mother and son.

	Smenkhare and  Meritaten Children of Akhenaten Smenkhare rules possibly with and then succeeding Akhenaten Succeeded by his brother Tutankhamen Marries sister Meritaten No tomb.  Body dumped in unfinished tomb of Tiy, KV-55 Body has love note from his sister and wife Meritaten	Polynices and  Antigone Children of Oedipus Polynices cursed by Oedipus and rules after his death Rules in alternation with his brother Eteocles Controversial passage in Sophocles where Antigone distinguishes Polynices as a brother as opposed to a husband Creon denies proper burial Antigone provides basic burial
	Tutankhamen (aka King Tut) Son of Akhenaten Originally maintained father's religious reforms but then returned to tradition Ruled briefly, following his brother Smenkhare Succeeded by his maternal uncle Ay Buried in elaborate tomb	Eteocles Son of Oedipus Cursed by Oedipus Ruled briefly in alternation with his brother Polynices Succeeded by his maternal uncle Creon Buried with full honors by successor Creon
	Ay Brother of Queen Tiy Succeeds two nephews, Smenkhare and Tutankhamen Prominent advisor during Amenhotep III and Akhenaten Successor and likely regent to Tutankhamen Tutankhamen buried in elaborate tomb; Smenkhare's body is dumped End of 18th Dynasty	Kreon Brother of Queen Jocasta Succeeds two nephews, Polynices and Eteocles Regent to Laius and prominent advisor to Oedipus Supported Eteocles in civil war Decrees that Eteocles receive full honors in burial and Polynices be exposed End of family line
	Amenhotep son of Hapu Advisor and scribe to several Pharaohs of Thebes, including Amenhotep III Lives past the age of 80 Worshipped in his own right after death Patron of the blind Belonged to traditional Theban religious order, which Akhenaten rejected	Tiresias Advisor to several kings of Thebes, including Cadmus [succeeded by Polydorus, Labdacus, Laius], Oedipus, Polynices & Eteocles, and Creon Presence at several generations of rulers indicates long age Known as preeminent seer at Thebes Blind himself Oedipus comes into conflict with Tiresias as a seer and labels him a fraud

The Sphinx Pharoahs including predecessors to Amenhotep III worshiped the Sphinx and were portrayed as a Sphinx with the male Pharoah's head (upper left) A gem from the era of Amenhotep III, probably of Queen Tiy, shows a winged female Sphinx (lower left) Greek Sphinxes are winged and female (see upper right) The Egyptian Sphinx was worshipped as the embodiments of the Sun God.  Akhenaten promoted a new sun worship over traditional religion.  Oedipus challenges and defeats the Sphinx Egyptian Sphinxes are traditionally serene.  Queen Tiy is depicted as a violent, attacking Sphinx.  The Greek Sphinx at Thebes brings plague and devours men. The Egyptian cat goddess Hathor had a destructive incarnation, Sekhmet.  Amenhotep III set up hundreds of statues of Hathor.  Akhenaten rejected the religious worship of Hathor.  Many of the statues were destroyed and dumped in a ditch.  When Oedipus outwits the murderous Sphinx, she leaps to her death. Hathor was called mother of the Aten.  In Akhenaten's religious reform, the Aten has no mother.  Oedipus destroys the Sphinx.