m some earlier indigenous deity, such as Didun, for
instance, who had been previously worshipped in those parts; his priests
lived in accordance with the rules of the Theban hierarchy.

[Illustration: 257.jpg RUINS OF THE TEMPLE OF AMON AT NAPATA]

Reproduced by Faucher-Gudin, from a lithograph published by
Cailliaud.

We can readily believe that when Hrihor extorted the title of "Royal Son
of Kaushu" from the weaklings who occupied the throne at the close of
the Ramesside dynasty, he took care to install one of the members of
his family as high priest at Napata, and from henceforward had the whole
country at his bidding. Subsequently, when Painotmu II. was succeeded by
Auputi at Thebes, it seems that the Ethiopian priests refused to ratify
his election. Whether they conferred the supreme power on one of their
own number, or whether some son of Painotmu, flying from the Bubastite
kings, arrived at the right moment to provide them with a master, is not
quite clear.

[Illustration: 258.jpg PLAN OF THE TEMPLE OF AMON AT NAPATA]

Reproduced by Faucher-Gudin, from the plan drawn up and
published by Cailliaud.

The kings of Ethiopia, priests from the first, never lost their
sacerdotal character. They continued to be men of God, and as such it
was necessary that they should be chosen by the god himself. On the
death of a sovereign, Amon at once became regent in the person of his
prophet, and continued to act until the funeral rites were celebrated.
As soon as these ceremonies were completed, the army and the people
collected at the foot of the Sacred Mount; the delegates of the various
orders of the state were led into the sanctuary, and then, in their
presence, all the males of the royal family--"the king's brothers," as
they were called--were paraded before the statue of the god; he on whom
the god laid his hand as he passed was considered to be the chosen one
of Amon, and consecrated king without delay.*

* This is the ritual described in the _Stele of the
Enthronement_. Perhaps it was already in use at Thebes under
the XXIst and XXIInd dynasties, at the election of the high
priest, whether he happened to be a king or not; at any
rate, a story of the Ptolemaic period told by Synesius in
_The Egyptian_ seems to point to this conclusion.

As may be readily imagined, the new monarch thus appointed by divine
dictation was completely under the control of the priests, and