Long before she journeyed to Jerusalem, before her name echoed through the scrolls of history and holy texts, the Queen of Sheba was a ruler of sand and spice. Her kingdom, known as Saba (or Sheba), lay at the crossroads of Arabia and Africa: modern-day Yemen and Ethiopia. It was a land of rugged mountains, scorching deserts, and fertile valleys crisscrossed by incense routes, where myrrh and frankincense were worth their weight in gold.
By the 10th century BC, Saba was no backwater. Its merchants controlled the spice trade between Africa, India, and the Mediterranean, and its rulers were whispered about in distant courts.
Into this rich and competitive world, a girl was born. Her name, lost in the sands of time, would later be remembered simply as the Queen of Sheba.
A Young Queen Among Kings
The legends don’t agree on how she came to power. Some say her father died suddenly, leaving her the throne as a teenager. Others claim she seized power after a palace revolt. But what all tales agree on is that from a young age, she was shrewd, fearless, and captivating. Sheba’s royal court sparkled with gold and ivory, its walls lined with sandalwood and intricate carvings of lions and gazelles.
Outside, the streets of Marib, Sheba’s capital, were alive with the sounds of haggling merchants, chanting priests, and the rhythmic beat of camel caravans preparing for distant journeys and the queen watched over it all, not as a silent figurehead, but as a strategist.
She spoke multiple languages, negotiated trade deals with foreign merchants, and consulted astronomers and priests. Unlike other rulers who ruled from behind palace walls, she walked among her people, listening to their concerns, winning their loyalty.
A Kingdom of Trade and Temples
Under her reign, Sheba flourished. Massive temples, like the Mahram Bilqis, were erected in honor of the moon god Almaqah, while new roads and reservoirs transformed the desert into fertile fields.
Her trade fleets sailed to Persia, India, and Egypt, bringing back exotic silks and spices. Camel caravans stretched across the Arabian Peninsula, carrying frankincense, gold, and stories of a queen whose wisdom rivaled that of any king.
Whispers from the West
And then, from the west, came rumors. A king unlike any other now ruled in Jerusalem, Solomon, son of David, said to command armies, build temples of gold, and possess a wisdom given directly by God.
Tales of his riches and riddles reached Sheba’s royal court. The Queen, curious and competitive, could not resist and she decided: she would meet this Solomon herself but it wouldn’t be a simple visit.
She would arrive as an equal, not as a subject. She would bring gifts that no king could refuse, spices, gold, rare woods, and questions no man could easily answer.
Preparing for the Journey
The preparations began. Caravans were gathered hundreds of camels, guards, and merchants. Treasure chests were packed with gold bullion, fragrant resins, and precious stones. Scholars debated what riddles she might ask Solomon to test his wisdom.
As the sun set over the mountains of Sheba, the queen stood on her palace balcony, the wind tugging at her robes, her mind already racing ahead to Jerusalem. The world was about to witness a meeting of legends.
Next Time: Queen of Sheba Part Two — The Journey to Solomon's Court
Through deserts and kingdoms, she traveled, bearing gifts and questions. What happened when two of the world’s most powerful minds finally met?
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