▁pres umably ▁near ▁the ▁city ' s ▁ne c ropol is , ▁the ▁present - day ▁el - L is ht . ▁Like ▁M ent uh ote p ▁II , ▁A men em het ▁bol ster ed ▁his ▁claim ▁to ▁authority ▁with ▁propag anda . ▁In ▁particular , ▁the ▁Prop he cy ▁of ▁Ne fer ty ▁dates ▁to ▁about ▁this ▁time , ▁which ▁pur ports ▁to ▁be ▁an ▁oracle ▁of ▁an ▁Old ▁Kingdom ▁priest , ▁who ▁predict s ▁a ▁king , ▁A men em het ▁I , ▁ar ising ▁from ▁the ▁far ▁south ▁of ▁Egypt ▁to ▁restore ▁the ▁kingdom ▁after ▁centuries ▁of ▁cha os . ▁ ▁Pro pag anda ▁not with standing , ▁A men em het ▁never ▁held ▁the ▁absolute ▁power ▁commanded ▁in ▁theory ▁by ▁the ▁Old ▁Kingdom ▁ph ara oh s . ▁During ▁the ▁First ▁Inter mediate ▁Period , ▁the ▁govern ors ▁of ▁the ▁nom es ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁nom arch s , ▁gained ▁considerable ▁power . ▁Their ▁posts ▁had ▁become ▁her edit ary , ▁and ▁some ▁nom arch s ▁entered ▁into ▁marriage ▁al li ances ▁with ▁the ▁nom arch s ▁of ▁neighbor ing ▁nom es . ▁To ▁strength en ▁his ▁position , ▁A men em het ▁required ▁registration ▁of ▁land , ▁modified ▁nome ▁borders , ▁and ▁appointed ▁nom arch s ▁directly ▁when ▁offices ▁became ▁vac ant , ▁but ▁acqu ies ced ▁to ▁the ▁nom arch ▁system , ▁probably ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁pla c ate ▁the ▁nom arch s ▁who ▁supported ▁his ▁rule . ▁This ▁gave ▁the ▁Middle ▁Kingdom ▁a ▁more