From Akhenaten to Moses: Ancient Egypt and Religious Change Reprint Edition by Jan Assmann (The American University in Cairo Press)

This book tries to analyze in chapter six the discovery of the Axial Age by Jaspers but ends up in one of the multiple confusions of the Axial period as interpreted by historical sociologists. Here the issue is raised that if Akhenaten is part of the discovery of monotheism but doesn't live in the Axial period then the concept is flawed. The Axial Age concept is indeed flawed but points to a larger system of historical dynamics. This was analyzed over 15 years ago in World History and the Eonic Effect: B005620ZRA/Kindle which adopts a complex model that resolves all the issues including those of Assmann. The fact that Akhenaten is not in the Axial Age is not relevant.

The Axial Age, with the revised chronology of World History and the Eonic Effect ASIN: B005620ZRA/Kindle, shows parallel synchronous transformation in the core period 900BCE to 600+BCE, with an immediate two century period just after from 600 to 400BCE, roughly speaking, showing the initial results of the transformation, in Rome, Greece, Israel/Judah, India, and China: clearly a Eurasian field of action. These transformations are about cultural spheres, not 'great individuals' or religions. The Greek Axial shows the core prototype, and produces no monotheistic religion.

The case of Israel does show the consolidation of a form of monotheism, but consolidation is not invention and by the testimony of 'israelites' themselves, Abraham was a monotheist. It is thus perfectly possible for something to be invented primordially but to be amplified in the passing of an 'Axial' transformation period. This effect is even more evident in India in its Axial phase.

The text of the text WHEE is online at history-and-evolution dot com: you can check out this data there.

These transformations are not about religion, transcendence, ages of revelation or monotheism. The latter, however, is indeed, present in Israel, with the atheist buddhism in India. The Axial Age has produced immense confusion, but the core idea is valid with a revised model and a larger framework.