Summary
The vizier was the most powerful official in ancient Egypt after the pharaoh: prime minister, chief judge and head of the administration all in one. In Egyptian he was called the tjaty. He ran the treasury and the granaries, oversaw taxes and building works, heard legal cases and reported to the king every day. Some viziers built the pyramids, some wrote famous books of wisdom, and a few became pharaohs themselves. Their richly decorated tombs at Saqqara and Luxor can still be visited.
What Does Vizier Mean?
“Vizier” is not an Egyptian word. It comes from the Arabic wazir, the title of the chief ministers of the Islamic caliphs and the Ottoman sultans, and Egyptologists borrowed it to translate the ancient title tjaty. The office is attested from the Old Kingdom, more than 4,500 years ago, and lasted until the end of the pharaohs.
The vizier stood at the very top of the officials in the ancient Egyptian social pyramid, second only to the king. He was usually from a leading family, and sometimes a royal prince.
What Did a Vizier Do?
The vizier’s duties covered almost every part of government:
- Head of the administration: all the government departments reported to him.
- Chief judge: he heard important cases and appeals in his hall of justice, and supervised the courts.
- Taxes and granaries: he made sure the harvest was measured, taxes collected and grain stored against famine.
- Royal building works: pyramids, temples and royal tombs were built under his authority. The workmen of Deir el-Medina answered to the vizier.
- Land and water: he checked boundaries, land records and the irrigation canals after each Nile flood.
- Security: he oversaw the police, the guarding of the palace and the opening of the “sealed” storerooms.
The Duties of the Vizier: A Day at Work
A remarkable text, the Duties of the Vizier, was painted in the tombs of several New Kingdom viziers, most completely in the tomb of Rekhmire, vizier of Thutmose III, on Luxor’s west bank. It describes his routine:
- Each morning, the vizier met the pharaoh to report on the state of the country.
- He then received the treasurer, who reported that the storerooms were sealed and safe.
- He sat in his hall of justice on a chair, with a mat on the floor, the 40 rolls of the law laid out before him, and heard petitions and cases in order of arrival.
- He received reports from the provinces, the border fortresses and the officials of the land, and sent out his messengers.
In the companion text, the Installation of the Vizier, the king warns the new vizier that the job “is not sweet but bitter”, and tells him to judge rich and poor alike and not to favour his friends.
One Vizier or Two?
In the Old and Middle Kingdoms there was usually a single vizier. From the New Kingdom, around the reign of Thutmose III, the office was normally split in two: a vizier of the South, based at Thebes (modern Luxor), for Upper Egypt, and a vizier of the North, based at Memphis near modern Cairo, for Lower Egypt. Viziers wore a distinctive long, plain robe tied high on the chest, so they are easy to spot in tomb paintings and statues.
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View This TripFamous Viziers of Ancient Egypt
| Vizier | King | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Imhotep | Djoser (about 2670 BC) | Architect of the Step Pyramid; often called his vizier, later worshipped as a god of medicine |
| Hemiunu | Khufu | Believed to have overseen the building of the Great Pyramid |
| Ptahhotep | Djedkare Isesi | The Maxims of Ptahhotep, one of the oldest books of wisdom; family tomb at Saqqara |
| Mereruka | Teti | The largest private tomb of the Old Kingdom, at Saqqara |
| Kagemni | Teti | Finely carved tomb at Saqqara, next to Mereruka |
| Amenemhat | Mentuhotep IV | Probably the vizier who became King Amenemhat I, founder of the 12th Dynasty |
| Rekhmire | Thutmose III | His tomb holds the fullest copy of the Duties of the Vizier |
| Ramose | Amenhotep III and Akhenaten | Tomb at Luxor with some of the finest reliefs in Egypt |
| Paramessu | Horemheb | Became King Ramesses I, founder of the dynasty of Ramesses II |
From Vizier to Pharaoh
Because the vizier controlled the government, he was the natural successor when a royal line failed. Around 1985 BC, the vizier Amenemhat probably took the throne as Amenemhat I and began one of Egypt’s greatest dynasties. More than 600 years later, the elderly King Horemheb, who had no son, chose his vizier and army commander Paramessu as heir. He reigned briefly as Ramesses I, and his grandson was Ramesses II, the most famous pharaoh of all. Learn more about them in our guide to Egyptian pharaohs.
Where to See the Viziers' Tombs
- Saqqara: the mastaba tombs of Mereruka, Kagemni and the family tomb of Ptahhotep, carved with lively scenes of farming, fishing, crafts, animals and daily life on the viziers’ estates. Visit them on a trip to Saqqara and the Step Pyramid.
- The Tombs of the Nobles, Luxor west bank: the tombs of Rekhmire and Ramose, among the most beautiful private tombs in Egypt. Ask to add them to our Luxor west bank tour, or see them on a Nile cruise with extra time in Luxor.
- Museums: statues of viziers in their high robes, including the seated statue of Hemiunu in Germany and many at the Egyptian Museum and the Grand Egyptian Museum.
Tickets for the individual tombs are sold at the site and change often, so ask your guide or check at the gate.
The Vizier in Ancient Egypt: FAQ
What is a vizier?
In ancient Egypt, the vizier (tjaty) was the highest official after the pharaoh: head of the government, chief judge and manager of the treasury, taxes and building works. The word itself comes from the Arabic wazir, “minister”.
Who was the most famous vizier of ancient Egypt?
Imhotep, the architect of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, is the best known. Rekhmire, Ptahhotep and Mereruka are also famous for their tombs and writings.
Did a vizier ever become pharaoh?
Yes. Ramesses I had been vizier under Horemheb, and Amenemhat I, founder of the 12th Dynasty, was probably the vizier of the king before him.
How many viziers did ancient Egypt have?
Usually one in the Old and Middle Kingdoms, and two in the New Kingdom: one for Upper Egypt and one for Lower Egypt.
Where can I see a vizier’s tomb?
At Saqqara (Mereruka, Kagemni, Ptahhotep) and in the Tombs of the Nobles on Luxor’s west bank (Rekhmire, Ramose).
