Prompt Cast
The Origins and Story of the Queen of Sheba
TLDR The Queen of Sheba, a figure mentioned in religious texts, may have actually existed and visited Solomon, being impressed by his wisdom and prosperity. The Queen of Sheba is believed to have come from the Kingdom of Saba, which had commerce and contact with both sides of the Red Sea, but her existence is still debated among historians and archaeologists.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
The Queen of Sheba is a figure of fascination who may have actually existed, and this episode explores her origins and story.
01:56
The Queen of Sheba, a figure mentioned in religious texts, visits Solomon and is impressed by his wisdom and prosperity.
03:30
The Queen of Sheba, also known as Queen Bilquis in the Koran, visits Solomon and converts to worship Allah.
05:12
The Queen of Sheba, also known as Queen Yisaba, likely refers to the Kingdom of Saba, which existed in modern-day Ethiopia and Yemen around the 8th century BC and had commerce and contact with both sides of the Red Sea.
06:55
Saba, the likely location of the Kingdom of Sheba, was a wealthy kingdom that traded in valuable goods and had close proximity to India and the east coast of Africa, making it a strong candidate for being Sheba, but Ethiopia also claims the Queen of Sheba as part of their national mythology in their epic called the Kerba Nagast, which provides a more detailed version of the story.
08:38
According to the Kerba Nagast, Queen Maketa had a son with Solomon named Menelik, who became the founder of the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia, and Menelik later returned to Jerusalem and brought the Ark of the Covenant back to Ethiopia.
10:15
The existence of the Queen of Sheba is debated among historians and archaeologists, but regardless, she remains a powerful symbol for Ethiopia, women, and Africa as a whole.
