Arabia Felix

• The Romans divided the Arabian Peninsular into three areas, Arabia Felix, Arabia Deserta and Arabia Petrae.

Arabia Felix (Happy Arabia)

• This was Southern Arabia, the Yemen: It was divided amongst 4 main Kingdoms all of which had advanced hydraulic systems in place.
  1. Sabaean Kingdom (Yemen)
     • with the capital at Marib, then later, at Sana (Sanaa). This was the most powerful Kingdom.
  2. Kingdom of Ma’in
     • with the capital at Timna, which controlled the Incense Road.
  3. Kingdom of Hadramaut
     • with the capital at Sabwa. They traded Incense and Cinnamon traded through their Port of Cana (Mukalla).
  4. Kingdom of Zufar (Oman)
     • their capital was the lost city of Ubar of which nothing is known.

Arabia Deserta (Desert Arabia)

• This was eastern Syria and Iraq.
• Its cities were Palmyra, Emesa, Edessa Hatra, Characene and Gerrha

Arabia Petraea

• The northwestern part of Arabia, which was ruled from Petra, and covered modern Jordan and southern Syria.
• The former Nabataean Kingdom had been based on Petra, which was adjacent to the King's Highway, the route between Mesopotamia and Egypt.

Arabian Peninsular