Importance. Officially, women's main political roles were mother or wife of the king. Women, however, gained some political power through religious offices. The most important priestess from the New Kingdom (circa 1539-1075 B.C.E.) through the Late Period (664-332 B.C.E.) was the God's Wife of Amun, later called the Divine Adoratrice of Amun. This office varied in importance from the early New Kingdom through the Late Period.

Titles. The two most important titles for women identified their relationship with the king. A queen who was the mother of the reigning king held the Egyptian title that translates literally as "King's Mother." The second important title was "King's Wife" (Queen). Usually more than one woman was King's Wife at one time, but only one woman at a time could be King's Principal Wife. Sometimes the King's Wife...