A History of Ancient Near Eastern Law

   785

New Kingdom and Third Intermediate period.^61 It has been suggested

that the appointment by the kings of close relatives to important posi-

tions weakened the “principle of official-bureaucracy” (Beamtenbürokratie)

in the Twenty-second to Twenty-third Dynasties, a process which led

also to the creation of collateral dynasties.^62 The dominant figure in

the Theban area is the High Priest of Amun. In the Twenty-second

dynasty, sons of the kings may be installed as “military governors”

in important cities or districts.^63 The Libyan chieftains who supported

Sheshonq I have been characterized as “feudal lords.”^64 There is

also very close interaction between the various chief temples and the

royal houses.^65 The fiscal status of the temples from the Third

Intermediate period is hardly known from contemporary documents.^66

2.2.1.1 Local dynasts and authorities, sometimes royal in origin, some-

times not, play a great role in the Third Intermediate period.^67 Marriage

ties are created between the important Theban families and the

Libyan royal families based in the North (Twenty-second Dynasty).^68

2.2.1.2 The authority of such traditionally powerful officials as the

vizier becomes much more limited in geographical range during the

Third Intermediate period.^69 There seems to have been a division

between a Northern Vizier and a Southern Vizier in the Late period

(Twenty-fifth to Twenty-seventh Dynasties).^70 There may have also

been honorary bearers of this title, obscuring its true significance in

individual cases.^71 In the Twenty-second Dynasty, the “royal son of

Ramses” may have played the role of the vizier.^72

(^61) Trigger et al., Social History.. ., 229. See also James, “Egypt.. .,” 705.
(^62) Graefe, “Zwischenzeit, Dritte,” col. 1448; but cf. Edwards, “Egypt.. .,” 555.
(^63) Sheshonq I, for example, appoints his son Nimlot as military governor of
Herakleopolis (Edwards, “Egypt.. .,” 539).
(^64) Ibid., 541.
(^65) Ibid., 542.
(^66) Meeks, “Donations.. .,” 644.
(^67) Trigger et al., Social History.. ., 236; Grimal, Stèle triomphale.. ., 209–16.
(^68) Kuhrt, Ancient Near East.. ., vol. 2, 625. There is considerable continuity with
regard to these great Theban families between the Nubian Dynasty 25 and the
Saite Dynasty 26; see e.g., Vittmann, Priester und Beamte.. ., 3.
(^69) Trigger et al., Social History.. ., 238. See also Martin-Pardey, “Wesir.. .,” col.
1228; Meeks, “Donation.. .,” 632; Pressl, Beamte.. ., 97–127. The vizier is still
mentioned in P. Berlin 3048 vs. (dated 879); see Lüddeckens, Eheverträge.. ., 10–11.
(^70) Vittmann, Priester und Beamte.. ., 143.
(^71) Ibid., 144–45.
(^72) Meeks, “Donation.. .,” 631–32.
westbrook_f22_775-818 8/27/03 1:34 PM Page 785