Why did Thebes become prosperous during the 18th dynasty?

Thebes experienced its era of greatest prosperity during the 18th dynasty after the local lords of the city successfully expelled the Hyksos from Egypt. Following this victory, the 18th-dynasty pharaohs established Thebes as their capital and invested heavily in its development.1

The city's wealth was driven by several key factors:

• Imperial Expansion: The pharaohs embellished Theban temples using the spoils of military campaigns in Asia and the tribute collected from Nubia.1
• Religious Patronage: As the center of the cult of Amon, Thebes received vast resources. Pharaohs, such as Amenhotep III, poured significant wealth from foreign tribute into the city's temples.1
• Urban Growth: The city flourished as a cosmopolitan hub where noble families maintained estates, and foreign traders and mercenaries mingled in its streets. During the 15th century BCE, the city expanded with brightly painted palaces surrounded by gardens.1

This prosperity solidified Thebes' status as a major political and religious center, a legacy that continued through the construction of monumental mortuary temples and the development of the Valley of the Kings.12