History
The Sabaean kingdom was located in what is now Marib in southwestern Yemen. The Sabaean kings made their capital at Ma'rib, and built great irrigation works such as the Ma'rib dams, whose ruins are still visible. The Marib Dam supported a flourishing culture for more than a thousand years; its collapse in 575 C.E., a few years after the birth of Muhammad, may be one of the main reasons that Arabia did not become Christian. They also built castles and temples in the area, and were known for trading the valuable frankincense and myrrh. They were a seafaring people and known to have influence and a population in the Northeast African kingdom of Dʿmt, across the Red Sea in Eritrea and perhaps Ethiopia, the only other source of both frankincense and myrrh.
In 25 B.C., Aelius Gallus led "an expedition to Ma'rib (Yemen)."
The site of Ancient Ma'rib was largely abandoned during the 20th century. Although a small village remains, the multi-story mud-brick buildings of the historic city are largely in ruins. The modern city of Ma'rib is located about 3.5 kilometers north of the center of the ancient city.
Read more about this topic: Ma'rib
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“The greatest honor history can bestow is that of peacemaker.”
—Richard M. Nixon (1913–1995)
“In nature, all is useful, all is beautiful. It is therefore beautiful, because it is alive, moving, reproductive; it is therefore useful, because it is symmetrical and fair. Beauty will not come at the call of a legislature, nor will it repeat in England or America its history in Greece. It will come, as always, unannounced, and spring up between the feet of brave and earnest men.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“My good friends, this is the second time in our history that there has come back from Germany to Downing Street peace with honour. I believe it is peace for our time. We thank you from the bottom of our hearts. And now I recommend you to go home and sleep quietly in your beds.”
—Neville Chamberlain (1869–1940)