ABSTRACT
To the Egyptians Thebes was known by many names. It was "Victorious Thebes," "The Thrones of the Two Lands," "The Mysterious City," "The City of the Hidden Name," "The City of the Lord of Eternity," "The Mistress of Temples," "The Mistress of Might," and so on. It was also called simply Nu, or Nut, " the City" ; and from this is derived the No or No-Amon which is so often spoken of and which the Assyrians changed to Ni. The western bank of the river, where lay the Necropolis, was often called simply Wast or Tjamet Amentet, " Western Thebes" ; but in later times it was generally called Pa-Hathor, " the house of Hathor," she being patron goddess of the western hills; and hence the Greek Pathyris. As late as the seventh century A.D., however, the name Tjeme is found as the designation of the western desert at this point. The Greeks also called Thebes Diospolis Magna, Amen being identified with Zeus; and Diodorus indicates that the Egyptians preferred this name to that of Thebes.
