The Nabataean Arabs, one of the most gifted peoples of the ancient world, are today known only for their beautiful capital carved into rock—Petra, a magnificent city sculpted into the mountains, and one of the most breathtaking achievements of the ancient world. Yet they were famous in their own time—Herod the Great and his sons, and a whole range of Roman emperors and generals were well aware of this powerful and wealthy trading kingdom.
The Nabataeans became inspired patrons of the arts, creating some of the most sublime and uniquely individual architecture of their era, not only in Petra but across much of the Middle East. This richly illustrated book tells the story of a remarkable yet lost civilization. It recounts their nomadic origins, the development of their rich culture in Jordan, Syria, Arabia, the Sinai, and the Negev, their relationships with their more famous neighbors, and the disappearance of their kingdom at the hands of the Romans.