A remarkable family of THEBES, serving the pharaohs of the New Kingdom (1550–1070 B.C.E.), some held positions in the temple of AMUN at Thebes and others headed bureaucratic offices. The third prophet of Amun in the reign of RAMESSES III (1194–1163 B.C.E.) was a member of this family. Another individual named Amenemope served as the viceroy of Kush or NUBIA, the area south of Aswan in modern Sudan, for SETI I (r. 1306–1290 B.C.E.). BAKENKHONSU, the high priest of Amun in the reign of RAMESSES II (1290–1224 B.C.E.), was also a family member. These public servants were aristocrats, or NOMARCHS, from a southern province. Their efforts, and those of other large clans involved in various bureaucratic offices, allowed the government of Egypt to continue, decade after decade, without interruption.
