Thebes (city on the Nile in Upper Egypt)
Thebes, an ancient city located on the Nile in Upper Egypt, was once the capital of the Pharaonic empire during the second millennium BC, succeeding Memphis. Known in antiquity as Waset, it gained renown in Homer’s Iliad for its wealth and significance. During the Ptolemaic period, Thebes continued to hold importance despite facing destruction from internal rebellions and foreign conquest. After Egypt's annexation by Rome, the city experienced a decline, transforming into a collection of villages, yet it later attracted tourists, including Emperor Hadrian, in the early Principate era.
Thebes is noted for its remarkable archaeological sites, such as the temples at Karnak and Luxor, which feature extensive decorations and historical inscriptions. The western side of the city became a center for early Christian monasticism, with many temples repurposed as churches. The area is also home to monumental structures like the Colossi of Memnon and the mortuary temple of Rameses III. The city’s rich history is documented through various artifacts, including papyri and ostraca, providing insight into the financial and administrative aspects of ancient life. The cultural legacy of Thebes continues to captivate scholars and visitors alike, reflecting its pivotal role in Egyptian civilization.
Thebes (city on the Nile in Upper Egypt)
formerly Waset, also known as Diospolis Megale or Magna (Luxor and Karnak)
A city on the Nile in Upper Egypt, four hundred and forty-six miles south of Cairo. The capital of the Pharaonic empire in the second millennium BC—replacing Memphis—Thebes was later praised for its wealth in Homer's Iliad. It still remained important during the Ptolemaic epoch, but was severely damaged during and after rebellions against Ptolemy V Epiphanes (206) and Ptolemy IX Soter II Lathyrus (88).
Following the annexation of Egypt by Octavian (the future Augustus), the city was sacked by his first provincial governor, the poet Gaius Cornelius Gallus (30/29), and Strabo only found a group of villages on the site. During the Principate, however, Thebes became a major touristic attraction; among its visitors were Hadrian and his wife Sabina (AD 130). Finds include many papyri and inscribed ostraca (pottery fragments) mostly relating to finance and taxation. During the early Christian epoch, the western part of the city became a monastic center, and most of the temples were converted into churches. At this period Thebes was the capital of a separate Roman province of the Thebaid (and later of the Upper Thebaid).
A sanctuary at Karnak on the east bank of the river commemorates the coronation of Alexander the Great's half-brother Philip III Arrhidaeus (323 BC). In the great Precinct of Amon, the Kiosk of Taharka (690–664) and Second Pylon were restored by the Ptolemies, who also added gateways in front of the temples of Ptah, Mut and Montu, and a chapel to the west of the last-named building. Within the ancient temple at Luxor a shrine was devoted to Alexander himself. Across the river, in Thebes West, stand two colossal seated figures of Amenhotep III (c 1386–1349), of which the figure to the north was supposed by the Greeks to represent Memnon, a mythical king of Aethiopia believed to have fought for the Trojans in the Trojan War; this statue became one of the principal objects of Greek and Roman sightseeing, because of the sound it emitted everyday. To the west of these statues, at Medinet Habu, the great mortuary temple of Rameses (c 1185–1152) was adjoined by a sanctuary restored by Thothmes III (c 1505–1450) containing the `Barque Chapel’ of Amon, which Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II (170–116) redecorated; a pylon dedicated by Shabaka (713–698) likewise reached its final form in the Ptolemaic period, and a columnar portico and courtyard were begun by Antoninus Pius (AD 138–61) but never completed. A dedication by Domitian (81–96) is also to be seen. To the south of Medinet Habu, Antoninus completed a temple begun by his predecessor Hadrian. To the north, at Deir-el-Medina, stood a small Ptolemaic shrine surrounded by an enclosure.