community were virtually priests, or else had the priests in a close alliance that bordered on subjection. Again, in Egypt, where the priests themselves had great power, they were, like other functionaries, appointed by the king, who also initiated fresh ritual; for example, under the second dynasty Khaicehos Kahan introduced the worship of bulls at Memphis.
The later history of the Jewish theocracy shows a rivalry between king and priest as exponents of the divine will; but, in spite of the royal power, the kings depended very greatly on the approval of priest and prophet, who often seem to have had a greater hold on public opinion.
As in all primitive states, the religious code is the basis of all law and minutely regulates the conduct of the individual. The Israelite who
