The Ramesseum is the memorial temple (or mortuary temple) of Pharaoh Ramesses II in Thebes. The site is located within the Theban necropolis across from modern city of Luxor and the Nile. Thebes known to the ancient Egyptians as Waset, was an ancient Egyptian city located along the Nile about 800 kilometers (500 mi) south of the Mediterranean. Thebes was the capital of Egypt for long periods during the Middle Kingdom and New Kingdom eras and benefitted greatly from trade due to its proximity to Nubia and the Eastern Desert.