Thebes

(thēbz)

1. An ancient city of Upper Egypt on the Nile River in present-day central Egypt. It flourished from the mid-22nd to the 18th century B.C. as a royal residence and a religious center for the worship of Amen. Its archaeological remains include many splendid temples and the tomb of Tutankhamen in the nearby Valley of the Kings.
2. An ancient city of Boeotia in east-central Greece northwest of Athens. Originally a Mycenaean city, it reached the height of its power in the fourth century B.C. but was largely destroyed by Alexander in 336.

Related Forms:

• Theˈban (thēˈbən) adjective & n.