Pinehas

Viceroy of Ethiopia reign of Ramesses XI, 1113-1085 BC.

    Pinehas held the titles of 'Viceroy of Ethiopia' and 'King's Son of Kush' and was a powerful and important person in the reign of *Ramesses XI. Among other sources, he is mentioned in the documents relating to the tomb-robbery trials of the Twentieth Dynasty. Although the details remain unclear, it appears that, perhaps at the king's request, he fomented some kind of armed rebellion against Amenhotep, the High-priest of Amun at Thebes, whose increasing power may have prompted him to claim authority over Ethiopia.

    It is probable that Pinehas seized power at Thebes and established control over the city and its surrounding area, thus crushing the centre of Amenhotep's power. Eventually, Pinehas may have returned to the south and continued his resistance from there; a tomb was prepared for him at Aniba in *Nubia, which may have been his original home.

    Herihor took over Pinehas' place at Thebes; he became High-priest of Amun but also adopted the title of King's Son of Kush and annexed the offices and powers that were part of that position.

BIBL. Reisner, G.A. The Viceroys of Ethiopia. JEA 6 (1920) pp. 28-55, 73-88; Lefebvre, G. Histoire des grands pretres d'Amon de Karnak jusqu' a la XXIe dynastic. Paris: 1929; Peet, T.E. The Great Tomb-robberies of the Twentieth Dynasty, (two vols) Oxford: 1930, pp. 124; Cerny, J. Late Ramesside Letters. Brussels: 1939 pp. 7-8.

Biographical Dictionary of Ancient Egypt by Rosalie and Antony E. David