Thebes is the Greek name for the ancient town of Waset. Thebes was one of the most important cities in ancient Egypt. Today its name is Luxor which comes from the first Arabs who lived there. When the Arabs saw the remains of the great Theban temples, they called them "el-Uqsur" which means "the palaces". Thebes became very important during the Middle Kingdom when the 11th dynasty kings chose it as their capital. The god of Thebes was Amun who was worshipped along with his wife Mut, their son Khons, and the local war god Montu.

Luxor temple