n.
biblical No
Ancient city, Egypt.
Its remains are located on the Banks of the Nile River. In early times it also included Karnak and Luxor ; the Valley of the Kings is situated nearby. The earliest monuments in the city itself date from the 11th dynasty ( 0441; 21st century BC), when the rulers of Thebes united Egypt and made Thebes the capital of Upper Egypt. It remained the capital until the end of the Middle Kingdom ( 0441; 18th century BC). It was obscured for two centuries under the rule of various foreign invaders, after which the kings of Thebes restored Egyptian rule in the 16th century BC and again made it the capital. It flourished as Egypt's political and religious centre throughout the New Kingdom period and was well known for achievements in sculpture and architecture. It began to decline in the 12th century BC under Ramses III . It was sacked by Assyrians in the mid-7th century BC, by Persians in the 6th4th centuries BC, and by Romans 0441; 30 BC. Its ruins include great temples and tombs, including the Temple of Amon at Karnak ( 0441; 20th century BC), the tomb of Tutankhamen in the Valley of the Kings, and the great mortuary temples of Ramses II and Hatshepsut .