This question has remained unanswered for nearly three millennia. The very existence of the mysterious queen of sultry Arabia remains today one of the fascinating mysteries of world history.
Where did the wise men come from?
There are many legends about the ancient Sabaean kingdom in southwestern Arabia. The father of history, Herodotus, described this country and claimed that it was inhabited by "winged snakes". In the Qur'an, Sabeans are referred to as sun worshipers. The Bible describes Arabia as a very rich country. The Gospel of Matthew reports about the wise men from the East who came to worship the baby Christ and brought him their gifts - gold and incense. And by the way, it was Ancient Arabia that was famous for its gold, spices and incense.
The Egyptians were the first to attempt to infiltrate the Sabean domain. In 1470 BC. e. Queen Hatshepsut of Egypt sent her soldiers there, but they failed to reach the goal.
The wisdom of King Solomon
But do ancient sources mention the mistress of the Sabean land?
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The Bible tells how the Queen of Sheba with a large retinue, with camels laden with gold and precious stones, visited Israel. She heard rumors about the wisdom of the head of the Kingdom of Judah, and she decided to try for herself how wise Solomon was. The king passed the test - he solved all the riddles that the guest asked him, and she put the golden gifts at his feet.
Solomon could not remain indifferent to the Arabian enchantress, and, according to legend, they spent a fabulous night full of mutual confessions.
At that, this historic meeting, which is dated to about 950 BC. e., ended. But she found her endless continuation in world literature and art, painting, theater and cinema.
So who are you, Queen of Sheba, myth or reality?
Genie's daughter
Researchers of ancient cultures - archaeologists - have added their voice to the testimonies of the Bible and the Koran. For several years, a German archaeological expedition has been working in Yemen - on the land of the legendary queen. Her goal is to look into the past in order to answer the question - did this amazing woman really exist.
In the period from the X century BC. e. and until the II century AD. e. in the southwest of Arabia there really was a state, which by the 7th century BC. e. has reached a very high level of development. There was a written language here, as well as a monetary system. The Sabes knew how to erect multi-storey buildings. There is reason to believe that there was a matriarchy in the country - ancient documents contain references to "Arab queens".
The beautiful woman who reigned in Arabia is mentioned in the folk tales of Yemen, the country in which the Sabaean kingdom was once located. In legends, she is referred to as Bilkis, the daughter of a genie with magical powers.
Great conquerors
The attention of modern researchers is attracted by the Marib oasis in Yemen. The acropolis and the ruins of residential buildings have been preserved here. Of particular interest to scientists is the 22-meter hill in the center of the oasis. During the excavations, various objects of material culture were found here, including many shards of Sabean ceramics. The oasis area was surrounded by a wall 4.2 kilometers long. A network of narrow streets covered an area of ten hectares. Here, in the capital of ancient Saba, up to 50 thousand people lived!
The sands of the Arabian Desert, which surrounded Marib, for centuries protected the Sabaean kingdom from the rest of the world. Even the mighty Rome was powerless to subjugate it to its power. The Roman perfect in Egypt, Aelius Gallis equipped in 25 BC. e. the ten thousandth army, which crossed the Red Sea and moved towards Marib. Exhausted by the passage over the sands, the scorching sun and unbearable thirst, the legionnaires reached the closed gates of Marib and were forced to retreat in disgrace.
The Sabeans themselves were more successful conquerors. Scientists were able to decipher the inscriptions on the stone massifs telling about the campaigns of King Saba in the 7th century BC. e. to neighboring countries. His troops, armed with pikes, arrows and short swords, first captured neighboring Aussan, where they killed 16 thousand inhabitants with great brutality, and then moved to Hadhramaut and reached the coast of the Arabian Sea near present-day Aden.
Gardens of Eden
The ancient Greek geographer and historian Strabo in his "Historical Notes" tells that the rulers of Saba were so rich that they ate and drank from gold dishes. Harsh manners reigned in the country. Those who violate religious precepts were required to repent. Archaeologists have discovered in the ruins of temples over 30 "penitential" tablets, which describe the sins of the guilty.
In the deserted Sabaean kingdom, a unique water supply system was created, which is rightly called a technical miracle of the ancient world. It rains in these places only for a few days twice a year - in March and July. Huge water streams from the mountains fill at this time the beds of dried up rivers - vadis. Sabeans learned to block these streams with dams and create reservoirs. Through a system of small canals, water was supplied to the oasis throughout the year and was used for irrigation. The flow of water to the fields was regulated by the priests. Was it not here in ancient Yemen that the gardens of Eden flourished?
Saba was indeed a blooming land. Millet, licorice, wheat were harvested in the fields, date palms gave a rich harvest. Ibn Rusta, a Persian scholar, named 70 varieties of grapes grown by the Sabaeans. They didn’t deny themselves even a mizr - wine of various varieties. They also had strong drinks made from dates and wheat, as well as honey wine. In the pre-Islamic period, there was a real ritual of drinking in Yemen. Drinking in the morning was called sabukh, in the afternoon - kaul, and in the evening - fahma. So the conversion to Islam and the prohibition imposed by the Koran on alcohol saved the subjects of the Queen of Sheba from rampant drinking in time.
Excavation at Avam cemetery
But back to the queen. Was it only her beauty that the ruler of ancient Saba captivated the wise Solomon?
In her caravan there were unusual gifts that were supposed to make a special impression on the king-poet, the author of love songs. It was intoxicating incense for ritual incense. In South Arabia, various types of boswelia grew - tropical trees, from the resin of which incense and myrrh were extracted, used since ancient times in religious rituals. Their production and sale were a source of pride for the inhabitants of Saba and a source of great income. Arabian incense and myrrh were highly prized in Iran and Syria, Egypt and India. When presenting them to Solomon, the Queen of Sheba could count on special benevolence on his part.
… History has preserved through the centuries the legend about this beautiful and wise woman who possessed amazing power over people. Scientists from the German Archaeological Institute working in Yemen do not lose hope to find new evidence of the life and deeds of the Sabean queen.
Excavations have already begun on the ancient necropolis, which is located outside the wall that encircles Marib. At the Avam cemetery, 55 towers-mausoleums with alabaster bas-reliefs of the buried were excavated, several graves with religious objects were uncovered. Is it not here, under the many-meter late layers, that the tomb of the famous ruler of ancient Saba is located?
Boris Yuriev. Secrets of the XX century magazine