Who was the Queen of Sheba?
First, as a former ancient history grad student, I have to say we don’t know. The evidence, after all, is extremely sparse. Amateurs “stretch” the evidence, “fix” it, use everything no matter how derivative or unbelievable—anything to get a complete story. Pros recognize what slim evidence can and cannot say. The Hebrew Bible devotes some thirteen verses to the Queen of Sheba. 1 Kings 10.1-13 (copied in 2 Chronicles 9.1-12) relates that the Queen of Sheba journeyed to King Solomon’s Jerusalem with an impressive and numerous entourage, eager to “prove him with hard questions.” Solomon’s wisdom and the greatness of his court impressed the queen, she gave him rich gifts, he gave her “all her desire” (a phrase that either reflected or suggested legends of a sexual relationship), and she returned, never to be heard from again. The fun of this topic is in what came next, as Jewish, Muslim and Christian sources elaborated upon the biblical account or added new stories. The relationship with S
Throughout the ages, the legendary Queen of Sheba has evoked images of beauty, wealth and power. Few women in history have captured our imaginations so strikingly, yet cloaked themselves in such mystery. Her story has been woven into the folklore and traditions of both Eastern and Western cultures. Yet for all the exotic tales, romance novels, and colorful theories about her, she remains an enigma. Archaeologists have yet to learn the Queen of Sheba’s proper name.
Sibyl was the ancient name used for priestesses of Little Asia or female psychics. They could reveal the will of gods. Some ten important Sibyls may be found throughout history, but it is quite possible that their number is higher. As people believed that Sibyls could reveal the future, priests put their statements on records for later reference. Thus, Sibyl books came to life. They were carefully guarded. In the ancient Rome, the College of priests and only the Senate was entitled to give consent to look into them, and only in extreme emergency. The original Sibyl’s books are mostly associated with the Cumaean Sibyl, who appeared as an old woman in Rome and visited Tarquinius (the Etruscan king of Rome). She offered him nine prophetic books written in the Greek hexameter, but for an exorbitant price. Sibyl’s books were the first important prophetic books of the ancient Rome stored in the temple of Jupiter on Capitol Hill. The temple became a prophetic center of the Roman Empire like G
