ABSTRACT
THEgreatcityofThebeswasthecapitalofancient EgyptfromthesixteenthcenturybeforeChristtillthe Assyrianarmiessackeditmorethaneighthundredyears later.EvenasearlyastheMiddleKingdomitschieftains hadmadethemselvesrulersofEgypt,andincorporated thenameoftheThebangodintheirownnames;four PharaohsoftheXllthdynastywerecalledAmon-em-hat (Amoninfront).Butwhenthe"impurefoot"ofthe foreignHyksosinvadedthecountry,Thebesretiredinto theobscurityofasmallprovincialtown.Aftermany generationstherecameagreatrisingagainsttheinvader, andtheThebanroyalfamilyproducedonemilitarygenius afteranother.UnderthesegreatgeneralsEgyptbecame united,withaThebanprinceasPharaoh;stepbystep theHyksosweredrivenout,theEgyptiankindgombeing steadilyconsolidatedastheinvaderswereexpelled.Then themilitarygeniusreacheditshighestpointinTehutmes III,whocarriedthearmsofEgyptbeyondherborders, andmadeherthegreatworld-powerformanycenturies. ThegloryofThebesincreasedwiththeincreasingpower ofherprinces,tillthesmallprovincialtown-originally nothingmorethanacollectionoflattice-and-mudhuts -became"hundred-gatedThebes",thecapitalofa mightyempire.
