Queen of Sheba. Queen of Sheba - great love stories

This legendary story love supposedly took place in the 10th century BC. e., and although the existence of the main characters has not been historically proven, their names in one variation or another are reflected in numerous sources, including in the three main books of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. King Solomon, or Jedidi, according to legend, ruled the united kingdom of Israel, and ruled in such a way that his name became synonymous with wisdom and intelligence. The image of the Queen of Sheba became one of the most legendary images of various cultures and religions, precisely thanks to her visit to King Solomon.

According to the texts of the already mentioned books, Solomon (Heb. - Shlomo, Arab. - Suleiman), was the son of David, the legendary shepherd who killed the giant Goliath with a sling and became folk hero, and later as a king, who united the disparate and sometimes warring ancient Jewish tribes. The very fact of Solomon’s birth is already worthy of mention. David was enchanted by the woman he saw from the roof of his palace. The woman's name was Bat Sheva, in Russian sources Bathsheba. David saw Bathsheba, a woman of rare beauty, while she was bathing and fell madly in love with her. Bathsheba was married, but David was a king, and he sent her husband to war. On his orders, an ambush was set up, and Bathsheba's husband was killed. For this, David subsequently received condemnation from his own people, often being referred to as a fallen king. But one way or another, he married this woman, from whom Solomon was born. David's love for her continued until his death, and on his deathbed, despite the abundance of other legitimate heirs, he declared 16-year-old Solomon king after him. Solomon, practically still a boy and not a husband, had to prove that he was worthy of such an honor. And he passes the first test very successfully. This episode from the Old Testament has become a source of inspiration for many works of art.

Two women arrive with a small child in their arms. Each of them claims to be his mother and no one wants to give in. Then Solomon orders his guard to split the child in two with a sword and give half to each. He understands perfectly well that a true mother will never sacrifice her child for the sake of her ambitions. This is what happens. When the guard swings his sword, one of the women throws herself at his feet and begs him not to do this, and says I agree, give it to his rival. But the king orders to return him to his true mother and punish the false mother.

The entire subsequent reign was characterized by a prosperity of his country, which Israel was never able to achieve again. His greatest glory comes from the construction of a magnificent temple, referred to as the First Temple of Jerusalem, which had enormous symbolic significance.

The glory of King Solomon is further exalted by another legend, this time a romantic one. There were about a thousand wives in his harem, from whom he had countless heirs. But the most main story his love was not associated with any woman from the harem. In those days, presumably somewhere in the depths of the Arabian Peninsula, there existed the ancient state of Saba or Sheba. And this country was ruled by a beautiful queen, whose name is not mentioned anywhere in the Old Testament. Information about her origin and appearance is also missing, but her image became a source of inspiration for a huge number of works of art in which she was depicted as blond, dark-skinned, and even a real black woman, which is most likely.

Solomon heard about the queen's beauty and sent her his invitation. The Queen of Sheba did not dare to refuse the powerful king, she collected a collection of riddles to test Solomon’s wisdom, as well as a caravan of camels with gifts and went to him. The journey was long, but the closer she got to her final destination, the more rumors about her spread. She was so beautiful that one rumor called her a servant of the devil, with hooves instead of legs.

When the caravan with the welcome guest approached the city, King Solomon ordered a small ditch with water to be made at the entrance. When the queen entered the palace, she realized that she was forced to walk through a ditch, so she decided to take off her shoes, thanks to which Solomon was convinced that she had no hooves. From the very first minute, the king looked unflinchingly at the queen, and a bright and unquenchable love flared up in him. He treated her with respect as an equal, and his love was rather platonic. He dedicated poems to her, showed her all kinds of attention, solved her riddles, but did not even dare to touch her.

The queen lived as a guest for almost a year, Solomon’s love flared up more and more, but then the very day came when she announced that it was time for her to go home. Sources are silent about why the powerful king did not try to extend the stay of his guest. One way or another, he did not resist leaving, despite the fact that with all his gut and body he did not want this. Solomon scheduled a celebratory dinner for the next day, the day before her departure. And the night before that, he saw a dream in which the Sun would never rise over his country again, and he waited and waited for it ad infinitum. So he anticipated the departure of his love forever.

Before dinner, the king ordered his servants to add as much pepper as possible to the food. After dinner, she headed to her bedroom, and then Solomon, for the first time during her stay, went with her. He told the queen that he would not touch anything that belonged to her until she touched anything that belonged to him, and she agreed. Even before lunch, Solomon ordered his cup of water to be placed next to her tomb. The abundance of pepper in the food made the queen extremely thirsty, and she was forced to drink water from Solomon's cup. After that, it was his turn to touch something that belonged to her. All sources omit further details, only describing this night as full of passion, fire and ardent love.

But even such a busy night cannot last forever, and the next morning the beautiful queen got ready to set off. Solomon escorted her caravan from the roof of his palace, where after that he began to conduct most of your remaining days. He spent hours peering at the horizon, which swallowed up his most ardent love, as if expecting a miracle. But it did not happen, because miracles do not happen even at the will of the most powerful rulers. Solomon faded more and more until he finally died...

Sources say that nine months later the Queen of Sheba gave birth to a child. It is assumed that it was he who gave rise to the Jewish population of Ethiopia. Whether all this happened exactly as described in religious books, or whether it happened at all, historians and archaeologists have not been able to establish. But in any case, this bright and extraordinary love story, which dates back more than a millennium, still arouses keen interest among historians around the world and continues to capture the imagination of poets, writers, artists, composers, choreographers, directors and other artists.

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Legends of distant antiquity have brought to our time information about outstanding female queens. Among them were the mysterious and legendary Queens of Sheba from southern Africa and Bilqis from the kingdom of Saba (Yemen). For example, the wise Queen of Sheba, who met with King Solomon, is mentioned in the Bible. There is information about Queen Bilqis in Muslim sources (in connection with her adoption of Islam in the 7th century AD, etc.). They ruled in different historical eras, but they are related by the glory of wisdom, personal beauty, the prosperity and wealth of the countries under their control, as well as the location of their tombs in the territory of Yemen near the Red Sea (on the Arabian Peninsula).

The Bible reports that the Court of the wise King Solomon (son of David) bathed in indescribable luxury. He died at the age of 37, and his kingdom fell apart like a house of cards, causing suffering to the people. Is this a trace of his wisdom? IN Holy Scripture It says: “The gold that came to Solomon every year weighed 666 talents” (20 tons). It is further reported: “King Solomon also made a ship in Ezion-geber, on the shore of the Black (Red) Sea in the land of Edom. And Hiram (king of Phoenicia) sent sailors who knew the sea on the ship of his subjects with the subjects of Solomon. And they went to Ophir, and took from there four hundred and twenty talents of gold, and brought it to King Solomon” (III Kings 9:14,26-28). The Bible repeatedly mentions the land of Ophir. Only the time of the voyage for gold to Ophir (before or after Sheba’s visit to Solomon), as well as the coordinates of the country, are unknown. The Bible says: “Don’t look for the way there!” The ships sailing to the country of Ophir were based on the Black Sea coast. Practical guide the delivery of wealth was carried out by Hiram, a contemporary and friend of Solomon. In the New Testament, the mistress of a rich country is called the “queen of the south.” It is also mentioned in Old Testament legends. There are myths that say that heaven was somewhere nearby, so trees grew in its capital, just like in the Garden of Eden.

The Queen of Sheba knew astrology, could tame wild animals, make healing ointments, and knew the secrets of healing and other conspiracies. On her little finger she wore a magic ring with a stone called “Asterix”. Modern scientists do not know what it is, but in those days it was well known that the gem was intended for philosophers and wizards.

Greek and Roman myths attributed unearthly beauty and wisdom to the Queen of Sheba. She owned many spoken languages, the force of holding power and was the High Priestess of the planetary Sobornost. High priests from all continents came to her country for the Council to accept important decisions concerning the fate of the peoples of the planet.

Her royal palace complex, along with a fairy-tale garden, was surrounded by an ornamented wall made of colored stones. Legends name various areas of the location of the capital of the mysterious country, for example, at the junction of the borders of Namibia, Botswana and Angola, near the reserve with Lake Upemba (southeast of Zaire), etc.
Ancient written sources report that she was from the dynasty of Egyptian kings, her father was God, whom she passionately desired to see. She was familiar with pagan idols and the predecessors of Hermes, Poseidon, Aphrodite. She was inclined to recognize foreign gods. Legends and myths tell us about the real and romantic image of the Queen of Sheba from a large and prosperous state, the borders of which are indicated on the schematic map.

In her kingdom, in addition to the main light-skinned population of normal height, there also lived light-skinned giants, from whom her personal guard was formed. The giants lived along the Limpopo and Okavango river basins, between the Indian Ocean and the country's capital. The main population of the kingdom were the distant ancestors of the modern Boers. The Boers (Afrikaners) now number about 3 million people and live in southern Africa in South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, that is, where their ancestors lived many thousands of years ago. In later times, Germans, Dutch, French, and Slavs periodically moved to them from Europe. They speak the Boer language, which belongs to the Indo-European (Germanic) group. In this kingdom there was no Negroid population, which at that time lived in Africa in a compact narrow strip east and north of the river. Congo. The first groups of the Negroid population appeared in Africa about 10 thousand years ago during the gradual sinking of the Black (Negro) continent into the waters of the Indian Ocean.

Its main submersion occurred about 2 thousand years ago, but numerous islands still remained.

The legendary state of the Queen of Sheba also included islands adjacent to the continent. Natural resources the subsoil was developed in breadth and depth, laying many kilometers of adits, including under the bottom of the shelf part of the ocean. These underground voids were developed and used for their intended purpose (storages, religious buildings). It is possible that today they may contain material and religious values ​​of that period. Discoveries of recent decades confirm these thoughts. There is a lot of mystery in these places, including the sites of ancient capitals and cities, where monuments are located in the hills overgrown with vegetation ancient culture, similar to those found in the central and southern parts of the American continent.

The eastern part of Africa has been part of Egypt since the existence of Egypt. The capital of Egypt, during the Atlantean period, was located somewhere in the area between Namibia and the source of the Congo River. Later it was transferred in a northern direction: to Lake Victoria, to the middle reaches of the Nile and beyond. There were periods of new associations separating from the country. The states of Ophir and the Queen of Sheba about 3 thousand years ago were independent countries based on the lands of ancient Egypt, but within new borders. Everything changes in time and space, but traces of ancient cities and capitals remain with their tombs, phantoms of their buildings, and the remains of underground structures. It is curious that many ancient cities of the countries under consideration are located on straight lines in plan. During the reign of Solomon, the country of Ophir was located along the eastern coast of Africa from the Zambezi River (river of gold) to the middle of the Arabian Peninsula, and the state of the Queen of Sheba occupied a significant part of the territory South Africa.

Famous ancient travelers and sailors mention the Queen of Sheba and the wealth of southern Africa. For example, in 1498, the navigator Vasco da Gama and the Arab pilot Ahmad ibn Majid reported about the country “Golden Safala”, located between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, which was then ruled by Sultan Mwane Mutapa (lord of the mines). A large amount of pure gold from these places (it was said in the route to the eastern shores of Africa) is exported through the port of Mambane, at the mouth of the Savi River. In the name of this river, the Portuguese heard the name of the Queen of Sheba, who ruled in these lands. After Vasco da Gama, the colonization of Mozambique and expansion to the mainland began. The centers of the ancient African civilization - Sofala - were discovered. It corresponds geographically to approximately modern Zimbabwe. The Portuguese also managed to find gold mines, but they were unable to penetrate deep into the country. Legends about the fabulous country were almost forgotten, but in 1872, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers, German geologist Karl Mauch discovered gold deposits and the ruins of a structure surrounded by a 300-meter stone wall. Based on the publication of his diary entries, the English writer Rider Haggard wrote and published the novel King Solomon's Mines. A “gold rush” began in the south of the African continent. Plutonium flows carry gold to the surface in various places lands, including in Ethiopia.

Research in recent decades shows that gold was brought to Solomon from the territory of modern Ethiopia from the area of ​​Lake Tana (the source of the Blue Nile), where underground mining of the metal was carried out. There are now labyrinths of many kilometers of planned adits and caves. From this lake there are now roads to the Ethiopian ports on the Red Sea - Massawa, Assab, to Addis Ababa and waterways along the rivers. Gold was mined here in large quantities. It is possible that in these places there may be caches of ancient precious metal mined but not exported. Written materials on accounting and release of metal may also be preserved there. So there was no point in sending ships thousands of kilometers to the ends of the world.
The Queen of Sheba's bringing of expensive gifts (not gold bars) to Solomon from the depths of southern Africa is not a basis for a real search for “Solomon's gold mines” in these places. In every corner of the earth there are amazing legends and mysteries of history that are not born out of nowhere.

Other legendary queen Bilkis lived in the 7th century. AD She was from an ancient family of Egyptian kings and ruled in the state of Saba, which was formed on the ruins former state Ophir. This was a period of repeated redistribution of countries, lands and peoples. The kingdom of Saba during the reign of Queen Bilqis was called in legends fabulously rich. Arab sources report that Bilqis was beautiful and intelligent. She was an expert in preparing delicious dishes, although she could satisfy her hunger with simple bread and raw water. She traveled on elephants and camels. The capital of the state of Saba (the city of Marib) was located at the crossroads of caravan roads in the south of the Arabian Peninsula, not far from the Red Sea. Years passed after the reign of Bilquis, but every spring the gates of the city were also opened, and merchant caravans went in all directions with spices and products of talented artisans, gifts of the subsoil and nature.

The luxurious palace and temples of Queen Bilqis were located on Mount Moriah, surrounded by a high colonnade. The inside of the palace was decorated with panels made of expensive wood, cups made of carnelian, and bronze sculptures. The floor was made of cypress planks. In every corner, incense was smoked in gold cups. The golden throne was decorated precious stones. Near the walls lay holy books bound in sandalwood with inlay. Now the city lies in ruins, among which are found stones with ancient inscriptions, numerous remains of ancient houses and palaces, sculptures made of marble, alabaster, and bronze. The ruins are gradually being dismantled for household needs. At the base of the mountain there are labyrinths of unexplored caves with multi-tiered communication passages, where there may be scrolls with writings. Here, in Yemen, in ancient times there were numerous oases, the vegetation was lush, and gold, copper, and precious stones were mined in the depths.

Somewhere near Marib there is the tomb of Queen Bilqis. Not far from it are the tombs of other historical figures inside rocky religious structures, including the Queen of Sheba. The legends of the haggadah say that Solomon wished to see the Queen of Sheba at home, otherwise her kingdom, which did not know wars, would be invaded by “kings with infantry and chariots,” meaning the dark demons under his control (Midraj to Proverbs 1:4 ). On the way home, the Queen of Sheba died in the south of the Arabian Peninsula from poisoning. Her death caused the rapid collapse of Solomon's kingdom. Gold scattered around the world, but the Queen of Sheba and mines with gold and precious stones remained in legends. Legends say that not far from the Mediterranean coast there are gifts in vaults. Sheba to Solomon and information about it. Discoveries await archaeologists.
P.S. The capital of the legendary kingdom of Ophir was in Ethiopia in the bend of the Omo River, between the cities of Huaca and Bako.
“Unannounced Visit”, No. 7(21), 1996

The mysterious Queen of Sheba January 13th, 2014

I am the one whose name is famous everywhere,
To the roar of harps and lyres there is ringing;
I will remain in eternal tales
Singers from all countries and all times.
For my mind, power and strength
All who know me serve me.
I am Saba. I pray to the luminary
Have an all-conquering day.

Mirra Lokhvitskaya

Edward Slocombe. "Queen of Sheba".

The Queen of Sheba belonged to the family of Sabaean priest-kings - the Mukarribs. According to Ethiopian legend, the Queen of Sheba's childhood name was Makeda. She was born around 1020 BC in the country of Ophir, which stretched across the entire eastern coast of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the island of Madagascar. The inhabitants of the land of Ophir were fair-skinned, tall and virtuous. They were known as good warriors, herded herds of goats, sheep and camels, hunted deer and lions, mined precious stones, gold, copper and knew how to smelt bronze

Still from the film “Queen Sheva”

The capital of Ophir, the city of Aksum, was located in Ethiopia. At the age of fifteen, Makeda went to reign in South Arabia, in the Sabaean kingdom, where she became the Queen of Sheba. She ruled the kingdom for about forty years.
Her subjects said that she ruled with the heart of a woman, but with the head and hands of a man. The capital of the Sabaean kingdom was the city of Marib. The Koran says that the Queen of Saba and her people worshiped the Sun.

"Saint Makeda, Queen of Sheba" modern icon

Hypotheses and archaeological evidence

Relatively recently, scientists have established that the solar deity Shams played an important role in the folk religion of ancient Yemen. Legends say that the queen originally worshiped the stars, the Moon, the Sun and Venus. She had the honorary title of high priestess of planetary conciliarity and organized “Cathedrals of Wisdom” in her palace. She was also the high priestess of a certain southern cult of tender passion. Only after traveling to King Solomon did she become acquainted with Judaism and accept it.

A story about the birth of the queen, her accession to the throne, her visit to Jerusalem and the conception of her son (Ethiopian “comic”)

According to the descriptions of ancient authors, the rulers of Saba lived in marble palaces, surrounded by gardens with flowing springs and fountains, where birds sang, flowers fragrant, and the aroma of balsam and spices spread everywhere. The pride of the Sabaean kingdom was a giant dam west of Marib, which held water in an artificial lake. Through a complex system of canals and drains, the lake watered peasant fields, as well as fruit plantations and gardens at temples and palaces

“Queen of Sheba.” Miniature from a medieval German manuscript.

The length of the stone dam reached 600, and the height - 15 meters. Water was supplied to the canal system through two ingenious gateways. I wasn’t going behind the dam river water, but rain, brought once a year by a tropical hurricane from the Indian Ocean. The Koran states that the irrigation system was destroyed by heaven as punishment for paganism. In reality, the catastrophe was caused by the Romans, who plundered the city and destroyed the floodgates as punishment for the desperate resistance of the inhabitants of Marib.

Miniature for Boccaccio’s book “Illustrious Women”, France, 15th century.

Scientists have been trying to penetrate the city of Marib, where the legendary Queen of Sheba ruled in time immemorial. However, its very location for a long time remained a secret, carefully kept by local Arab tribes and Yemeni authorities.

“The Queen of Sheba on the Throne”: Persian miniature of the 16th century

In 1976, the French made another attempt to penetrate the treasured city. They corresponded with the Yemeni authorities for seven long years until they obtained permission for one person to visit the ruins, who was only allowed to inspect them. And then they decided to send a Parisian photographer from the magazine “Figaro” to Marib, who knew how to shoot with a hidden camera.

Movie poster from 1921

He managed to see and photograph massive columns of destroyed temples and palaces, as well as several sculptures dating back to the period of the 6th-4th centuries BC. Some were made of marble, others of bronze, and others of alabaster.
Some figures had clearly Sumerian features, others Parthian. All of them were inside the ruins, leaning against the stones. The photographer was able to capture a kind of safe conduct engraved on the stone: “The people of Marib built this temple under the auspices of their gods, kings and all the people of the state of Saba. Whoever damages these walls or takes away the sculptures will die himself, and his family will be cursed.”

Solomon and Sheba. Parma, Diocesan Museum

Just after shooting this text, the photographer was asked to leave. The recording was made on a fragment of a bas-relief inside the building, of which only the foundation remains. Inside it, people in rags were scurrying about, putting halves of bricks into bags.

The photographer got the impression that Europeans are not allowed into Marib not because it is declared a sacred place for Muslims, but because it is the private quarry of some local feudal clan. According to the Figaro photojournalist, he managed to photograph only a hundredth part of what was possible. He admitted that such work is akin to racing a motorcycle through the halls of the Louvre.

Piero della Francesca - 2a. Procession of the Queen of Sheba

Researchers note that the Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem may have been a trade mission related to the Israeli king's efforts to settle on the Red Sea coast and thereby undermine the monopoly of Saba and other South Arabian kingdoms on caravan trade with Syria and Mesopotamia.

Piero della Francesca - Legend of the True Cross - Queen of Sheba - in the reception hall with Solomon

Assyrian sources confirm that southern Arabia was engaged in international trade as early as 890 BC. e., so the arrival in Jerusalem of the time of Solomon of a trade mission of a certain South Arabian kingdom seems quite possible.

Solomon and Sheba, stained glass window in Strasbourg Romanesque Cathedral

Meeting of Sheba and Solomon, stained glass window in Cologne Cathedral

There is, however, a problem with the chronology: Solomon lived from approximately 965 to 926. BC e., and the first traces of the Savean monarchy appear about 150 years later.

Ruins of the Sun Temple in Marib. Built in the 8th century BC. e., existed for 1000 years

In the 19th century, researchers I. Halevi and Glaser found ruins in the Arabian Desert huge city Marib.

Ruins of ancient Marib

Among the inscriptions found, scientists read the names of four South Arabian states: Minea, Hadhramaut, Qataban and Sawa. As it turned out, the residence of the Sheba kings was the city of Marib (modern Yemen), which confirms the traditional version of the origin of the queen from the south of the Arabian Peninsula.

Solomon and the Queen of Sheba-portico.Gates of Heaven

Detail “Gates of Heaven”

Inscriptions discovered in southern Arabia do not mention rulers, but from Assyrian documents of the 8th-7th centuries BC. e. Arabian queens are known in the more northern regions of Arabia. In the 1950s, Wendell Philips excavated the temple of the goddess Balqis at Marib. In 2005, American archaeologists discovered the ruins of a temple in Sana'a near the palace of the biblical Queen of Sheba in Marib (north of Sana'a). According to US researcher Madeleine Phillips, columns, numerous drawings and objects dating back 3 millennia were found.

Yemen - the territory from which the queen probably came

Ethiopia - a country where her son may have ruled

Researchers associate the emergence of the legend about the son of the Queen of Sheba in Ethiopia with the fact that, apparently, in the 6th century BC. e. The Sabaeans, having crossed the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, settled near the Red Sea and occupied part of Ethiopia, “capturing” the memory of their ruler with them and transplanting it to new soil. One of the provinces of Ethiopia is called Shewa (Shava, modern Shoa).

In Amiens Cathedral, medallions with scenes from the legend of Sheva

There is also a fairly widespread point of view according to which the homeland of the Queen of Sheba or her prototype was not South, but North Arabia. Along with other North Arabian tribes, the Sabaeans are mentioned on the stele of Tiglath-pileser III.

Fresco de "Salomón y la Reina de Saba" in the Escorial Library

These northern Sabaeans, in a number of ways, can be associated with the Sabaeans (Sabeans) mentioned in the book of Job (Job 1:15), Sheba from the book of the prophet Ezekiel (Ezekiel 27:22), as well as with Abraham’s grandson Sheba (Gen. 25 :3, cf. also Gen. 10:7, Gen. 10:28) (the name of Sheba’s brother, Dedan, mentioned nearby, is associated with the oasis of El-Ula north of Medina).

Queen of Sheba in front of Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, Salomon de Bray (1597-1664)

According to some researchers, the Kingdom of Israel first came into contact with the northern Sabaeans, and only then, perhaps through their mediation, with Saba in the south. Historian J. A. Montgomery suggested that in the 10th century BC. e. The Sabaeans lived in Northern Arabia, although they controlled trade routes from the south

Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, also became the “godmother” of Xena, the warrior princess, in the 20th century.

The famous explorer of Arabia, H. St. John Philby, also believed that the Queen of Sheba came not from South Arabia, but from North Arabia, and legends about her at some point mixed with stories about Zenobia, the warlike queen of Palmyra (modern Tadmur, Syria), who lived in the 3rd century AD. e. and converted to Judaism.

Casa de Alegre Sagrera, Salomó i de la Reina Sabà

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" by Pietro Dandini

Jewish Kabbalistic tradition also considers Tadmur to be the burial place of the evil she-devil queen, and the city is considered a sinister haven of demons

"King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" by Frans Franken

Frans Frankena

In addition, there are parallels between Sheba and another eastern autocrat - the famous Semiramis, who also fought and was engaged in irrigation, who lived around the same time - in the 9th century. BC e., which can also be traced in folklore. Thus, the writer of our era Meliton retells the Syrian legend in which the father of Semiramis is called Hadhad. In addition, Jewish legend made the queen the mother of Nebuchadnezzar and Semiramis his wife

“The Queen of Sheba on her Knees before King Solomon”, Johann Friedrich August Tischbein

One of Vasco da Gama's companions suggested that the Queen of Sheba came from Sofala, the oldest documented harbor in the Southern Hemisphere, a coast that, according to his assumptions, was called Ophir. In this regard, John Milton mentions Sofala in Paradise Lost. By the way, later in these places the Portuguese will undertake expeditions in search of the gold mines of the Queen of Sheba.

“Solomon receives the Queen of Sheba”, artist of the Antwerp school, 17th century

Other versions

Josephus in his work “Jewish Antiquities” gives a story about the visit of Solomon by the queen, “who reigned at that time over Egypt and Ethiopia and was distinguished by her special wisdom and generally outstanding qualities.” Arriving in Jerusalem, she, as in other legends, tests Solomon with riddles and admires his wisdom and wealth. This story is interesting because the historiographer mentions completely different states as the queen’s homeland.

General view of the Temple of Hatshepsut

According to the reconstruction based on these data by researcher Immanuel Velikovsky, the creator of the non-academic “revisionist chronology”, the Queen of Sheba is Queen Hatshepsut (XV century BC according to the traditional chronology of Ancient Egypt), one of the first and most influential rulers of the 18th dynasty of pharaohs (New Kingdom), whose father, Thutmose I, annexed the country of Kush (Ethiopia) to Egypt.

Hatshepsut

As Velikovsky noted, in Deir el-Bahri (Upper Egypt), the queen built for herself a funerary temple modeled on the temple in the land of Punt, where there is a series of bas-reliefs depicting in detail the queen’s expedition to the mysterious country, which she calls “Divine”, or, in other words, translation, "God's Earth." Hatshepsut's bas-reliefs depict scenes similar to the biblical description of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon.

"Solomon and Sheba", Knupfer

Historians do not know exactly where this land was located, although there is currently a hypothesis that the land of Punt is the territory of modern Somalia. In addition, it can be assumed that the names “Savea” (in Hebrew Sheva) and “Thebes” - the capital of Egypt during the reign of Hatshepsut (ancient Greek Θῆβαι - Tevai) - are unambiguous.

Sabaean stele: a feast and a camel driver, with an inscription in Sabaean at the top.

British writer Ralph Ellis, whose theories have been questioned by scientists, suggested that the Queen of Sheba could be the wife of Pharaoh Psusennes II, who ruled Egypt during the life of Solomon, and whose name in Egyptian sounded like Pa-Seba-Khaen-Nuit .

Edward Poynter, 1890, "The Queen of Sheba's Visit to King Solomon"

Attempts have also been made to draw an analogy between the Queen of Sheba and the Chinese goddess Xi Wang Mu - the goddess of Western paradise and immortality, the legends about which arose around the same era and have similar features

"Arrival of the Queen of Sheba", painting by Samuel Coleman

The journey of Bilqis (as the Queen of Sheba is called in later Arabic texts) to Solomon became one of the most famous biblical stories. She set off on a seven-hundred-kilometer journey with a caravan of 797 camels.

“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”, Giovanni Demin, 19th century

Her retinue consisted of black dwarfs, and her security escort consisted of tall, light-skinned giants. On the queen's head there was a crown decorated with ostrich feathers, and on her little finger there was a ring with an Asterix stone, which is unknown modern science. 73 ships were hired to travel by water.

Piero della Francesca. Queen of Sheba Meeting with Solomon. Fresco, - San Francesco In Arezzo, Italy

In Judea, the queen asked Solomon tricky questions, but all the ruler’s answers were absolutely correct. Historians note that almost most of the queen’s riddles were based not on worldly wisdom, but on knowledge of history Jewish people, and this really looks strange coming from a sun worshiper from a distant country, by the standards of that time.

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba" by Konrad Witz

In turn, Solomon was captivated by the beauty and intelligence of Bilqis. The Ethiopian book Kebra Negast describes that upon the arrival of the queen, Solomon “showed great honor to her and rejoiced, and gave her abode in his royal palace next to him. And he sent her food for morning and evening meals."

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba", painting by Tintoretto, c. 1555, Prado

According to some legends, he married the queen. Subsequently, Solomon's court received horses, precious stones, and jewelry made of gold and bronze from hot Arabia. The most valuable at that time was fragrant oil for church incense. The queen also received expensive gifts in return and returned to her homeland with all her subjects.

“Queen Bilqis and the Hoopoe.” Persian miniature, ca. 1590–1600

According to most legends, she ruled alone from then on. But from Solomon, Bilqis had a son named Menelik, who became the founder of a three-thousand-year dynasty of emperors of Abyssinia. At the end of her life, the Queen of Sheba returned to Ethiopia, where by that time her grown-up son ruled.

The Queen of Sheba gallops to Jerusalem. Ethiopian fresco

Another Ethiopian legend tells that for a long time Bilqis kept the name of his father secret from her son, and then sent him with an embassy to Jerusalem, saying that he would recognize his father from the portrait, which Menelik was supposed to look at for the first time only in the temple of God Yahweh.

“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”, detail. Ottoman master, 16th century.

Having reached Jerusalem and coming to the temple for worship, Menelik took out a portrait, but instead of a drawing he was surprised to find a small mirror. Looking at his reflection, Menelik looked around at all the people present in the temple, saw King Solomon among them and, based on the similarity, guessed that this was his father...

A riddle for scientists

Meanwhile, recently an incident helped us get closer to solving a number of mysteries of Ancient Arabia. Less than ten years ago, a whole group of mining engineers from Europe, the USA and Saudi Arabia was invited to work in Yemen.

Several archaeologists were quietly included in this purely technical team. The first thing they discovered was an abundance of forgotten oases and ancient settlements. The desert, fanned by eastern legends and sultry winds, was not lifeless everywhere in ancient times.

“Solomon and the Queen of Sheba”, anonymous artist, 15th century, Bruges

There were pastures, hunting grounds, and mines for precious stones. Among other things, a small stone sculpture resembling an ancient Indo-European Mother Goddess was discovered, which puzzled scientists. How did ritual sculpture get to the southern regions? However, many ceramic shards with specific ornamental decorations were clearly of the Indo-European type, close to the Sumerian.

The Queen of Sheba kneels before the Life-Giving Tree, fresco by Piero della Francesca, Basilica of San Francesco in Arezzo

In northern Yemen, archaeologists have found ten sites with slag dumps. From the smelting furnaces, they determined that high-quality copper ore was processed there and bronze was made. Ingots from Saba went to African countries, Mesopotamia and even to Europe. All this proved that the successful metallurgists were not Bedouins, but sedentary tribes of a different ethnic origin.

Giovanni Demin (1789-1859), "Solomon and the Queen of Sheba"

Interesting Facts

Both versions of the queen's name, Bilquis and Makeda, are relatively common female names - the first, respectively, in Islamic Arab countries, the second among Christians in Africa, as well as among African Americans who emphasize their African identity and are interested in Rastafarianism.

King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, Rubens

September 11, the day of the return of the Queen of Sheba from Solomon to home country, is the official start date of the New Year in Ethiopia and is called Enkutatash.

Queen of Sheba, Raphael, Urbino

The third most senior order in Ethiopia is the Order of the Queen of Sheba, established in 1922. Among the holders of the order were: Queen Mary (wife of the English King George V), French President Charles de Gaulle, US President Dwight Eisenhower

Engraving illustration of Nicaula, Queen of Sheba and Solomon

Pushkin's ancestor Abram Petrovich Hannibal, according to one version, was from Ethiopia and, according to him, belonged to a princely family. If this family, which is quite acceptable, had any marital ties with the ruling dynasty, then “the blood of the Queen of Sheba and Solomon” flowed in Pushkin’s veins

In Somalia, coins with the image of the Queen of Sheba were minted in 2002, although no legends associate her with this country.

Ethiopian church, frescoes

A rare species of Yemeni gazelle is named “Bilqis gazelle” (Gazella bilkis) in honor of the Queen of Sheba

Akopo Tintoretto, Solomon and Sheba.

In French cuisine, there is a dish named after the queen - gâteau de la reine Saba, chocolate pie.

The stone sculpture is a copy of the statue of the Queen of Sheba Cathedral in Reims.

Two asteroids are named in honor of the queen: 585 Bilkis and 1196 Sheba.

Kingdom of Sheba, Lloraina

One of the tourist sites in Ethiopia - the ruins of Dungur in Axum - is called (without any reason) "the palace of the Queen of Sheba." The same thing is shown in Salalah in Oman.

Mindelheim (Germany), nativity scene in the Jesuit church, “Queen of Sheba”

In 1985, in a Mansi sanctuary near the village of Verkhne-Nildino, a silver dish with the image of David, Solomon and the Queen of Sheba was discovered, which was revered by the local population as a fetish. According to local legends, it was caught from the Ob River with a seine during fishing.

Salomon, Pedro Berruguete

The Virgin and Child (on the throne, with David and Solomon in attendance) Seal

King Solomon, who was given the name Jedidiah at birth, meaning “Beloved of God,” ruled the state of Israel for forty years. Most often, the years of his reign are called 972-932 BC, and this time is marked by relative calm and peace in Israel. It is not for nothing that the royal name of this ruler was the name Solomon (from the Hebrew word “shlomo” - peace). He ascended the throne when he was barely twenty years old, but already in the first years of his reign, the young ruler proved to the Israelis his wisdom, organizational skills and strength. He immediately strengthened Jerusalem, built a fleet, allocated large funds to develop trade with neighboring states, erected great temple, and also encouraged the development of science and literature.

Solomon was distinguished by his love for women. Some sources claim that he had about 700 wives and more than 300 concubines. The oldest wife of the Israeli king was an Egyptian woman, who presumably bore the name Bethia.

One day, rumors about the wisdom and greatness of the Jewish ruler reached the powerful and strong queen of Sheba, Balcis, who ruled the country of the Saveans, called by the ancients “Happy Arabia.” On her lands, majestic temples rose, the richest cities flourished, luxurious gardens grew green and roads were built, and the people never ceased to glorify their wise queen. Balkida claimed that her country was the richest in the world, and she was the wisest ruler. The queen decided to see with her own eyes Solomon, who was superior to her in everything, and to personally verify his amazing mind and divine wisdom.

"The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba", painting by Samuel Coleman

She set off on her journey, accompanied by several thousand servants who led camels loaded with gifts for the king of Israel: precious stones, exotic plants, rare mahogany and fragrant oils.

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba",

According to legend, Solomon greeted the foreign guest, sitting on a golden throne and dressed in golden robes. When the queen saw the Israeli ruler, it seemed to her that a golden statue appeared before her. The Great Solomon rose, approached the beautiful Balcis and, taking her by the arm, led her to his throne. So the king had never received a single guest.

« Meeting of Solomon and the Queen of Sheba».

They said that he immediately fell in love with the foreigner and, delighted with her beauty, spent all his days with her, talking about countries, the Universe, and God. He took Balcis around Jerusalem, showing the buildings and temples he had built, and the queen never ceased to be amazed at the scope and generosity of the famous Israeli. Finally, she finally admitted that she was inferior to Solomon in everything and no longer denied his superiority. At the same time, the Queen of Sheba asked the ruler of Israel three riddles, to which the king allegedly received an answer in advance from the Sheba priest he had bribed and, without hesitation, immediately answered the queen. The woman marveled even more at the wisdom of the famous Solomon

"Solomon and the Queen of Sheba"

She, always proud and adamant, even agreed when he asked Balkida to become his wife. However, before this, Solomon wished to reveal the queen’s secret and thereby refute the terrible rumors about Balcis. They said about the Queen of Sheba that she was beautiful in appearance and amazingly wise. She was even credited with supernatural abilities and was often called the “queen of the genies” and “demon.” However, they said that for all the virtues of the queen of the Savei, she had inhuman, goat-like legs, and instead of feet she had webbed paws, like a goose’s.

The Queen of Sheba kneels before the Life-Giving Tree,

The loving king wanted to see for himself whether this was true or not. For this purpose, the wisest ruler of Israel ordered a transparent crystal floor to be made in one of his rooms. A pool was built under it, into which they poured the purest water and released the fish. All this resembled a real lake, and it was possible to distinguish it only by coming closer. Therefore, when Solomon led the queen into the prepared room, she, seeing the amazing pool, suddenly raised her skirts so as not to get them wet. For a few seconds her legs appeared from under underwear, and the Israeli king saw real, human legs, only too crooked and ugly.

The offended queen gathered all her servants in one night and left Jerusalem without saying goodbye to Solomon, who had inflicted a cruel insult on the queen of the Sabeans.

The king quickly forgot the foreign guest and again enjoyed the concubines collected in the royal harem from all over the world. "A woman is sweeter than life and bitterer than death", Solomon said about his beloved.

He continued to build cities, strengthen the fleet and erect temples. However, his entourage became increasingly dissatisfied with the ruler’s wasteful policies. Immediately after the death of the “wisest of kings,” there was a rebellion against the Davidic dynasty, and Israel was divided into two territories: Israel and Judah. The latter was ruled for some time by Solomon's son Rehoboam.

History knows many facts about the heroic events of ancient times. But, along with battle scenes and political acts of rulers, history has brought to us poetic love pages. One of the most striking of them is the love story of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba, which I decided to tell you about today, my dear readers.

Solomon, the son of the legendary David, is the last king of the united Judeo-Israelite kingdom, mentioned in the Bible and other sources as one of the smartest rulers of the Ancient World. Under his rule, all trade relations that existed at that time in Asia were consolidated in his state. In order not to depend on Phenicia for trade, Solomon started his own fleet, the ships of which went on long voyages; they came back stuffed with gold, rare works of art, precious stones, silk and many other things. However, the eastern luxury with which the king surrounded himself required enormous expenses, which affected the increase in taxes, which became one of the reasons
collapse of the Israeli-Jewish state. The brilliant reign of Solomon ended with threatening signs of internal decay. After the death of the king, the united kingdom of Israel and Judah split into two independent states - Israel and Judea. This event occurred around 925 BC. But political history is not the subject of this article, but love is sublime and poetic.

So, it happened that the wisdom of Solomon went beyond the borders of his kingdom and reached distant countries. According to legend, the Queen of Sheba decided to test whether Solomon was as wise as they say about him. One of the oldest sources is “ Third Book of Kings of the Old Testament” - says that the Queen of Sheba, having decided to test the wisdom of Solomon herself, went to him; Upon arrival, she asked Solomon a series of riddles. The Bible doesn't say which ones; mentions only that Solomon solved them all.

Fascinated by the queen's beauty and intelligence, Solomon falls in love with her. The love between the great king and the charming queen lasted six months. All this time, Solomon did not part with her and constantly gave her expensive gifts. When it turned out that the Queen of Sheba was pregnant, she left the king and returned to the Sabaean kingdom, where she gave birth to a son Menelik, who became the first Ethiopian king.

As for the Queen of Sheba herself, today it is known for certain that she was smart and beautiful woman. She knew how to compose essences from herbs, flowers and roots, she understood a lot about astrology, taming wild animals, and drawing up love spells. Greek and Roman legends attributed to her unearthly beauty and the greatest wisdom, the art of intrigue to maintain power. In her state, the Queen of Sheba was not only a ruler, but also a high priestess. The Arabs added that the Queen of Sheba was an expert in preparing delicious dishes; traveled on elephants and camels, surrounded by a large retinue and personal guard, consisting of light-skinned tall giants. As a child of her era, she was cunning, superstitious, and inclined to recognize foreign gods if they promised her good luck.

History has brought to us a description of the magnificent palace of the Queen of Sheba. Her royal palace complex along with a fairy garden surrounded by an ornamented wall of colored stones was another miracle ancient world. Unfortunately, the remains of this palace have not yet been found, because even the place where it was located is unknown. Legends name various areas of the location of the capital of the mysterious country of the Queen of Sheba. According to one version, it was located at the junction of the borders of Namibia, Botswana and Angola, according to another - in the south-east of modern Zaire.

It is now almost certain that the possessions of the Queen of Sheba were in the southwestern part of the Arabian Peninsula, where the state of Yemen is now located. In legends, the state of the Queen of Sheba is described as a magical country, where sand is more expensive than gold, trees from the Garden of Eden grow, and people do not know war.

Queen of Sheba - she is known by various names. Koran, Persian and Arabic tales I call her Belix. In Ethiopia she is known as Maqueda- Queen of the South. But, no matter what they call her, the Queen of Sheba, like King Solomon, is not a legend; she is a real historical person who conquered the great ruler and sage.

King Solomon's wisdom is so legendary that he is credited with authorship of biblical writings including The Book of Solomon's Proverbs, Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes And Book of Wisdom of Solomon. Solomon is spoken of as an outstanding ruler, a philosopher on the throne, who glorified himself with oratory.