We read in the Bible (I Kings 10), a whole chapter concerning the visit
of the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon, coming to Jerusalem with a
very great train, with camels that bore spices, and very much gold and
precious stones. And that when she departed she presented Solomon with a
hundred and twenty talents of gold, and of spices very great store, and
precious stones. “There came no more such abundance.”
The same account of this great queen is given in 2nd Chronicles, and in
Matthew 12:42 she is styled “The Queen of the South.”
A queen from the South who could present Solomon with about a million
dollars of our money in gold and precious stones, was certainly a rich
and powerful queen.
The Queen of Sheba had many successors, however, and they were all
warlike, leading their armies either to victory or successfully
defending the Ethiopian empire against attack. Ahasuerus, the most
powerful Persian monarch, who ruled over 146 provinces, attempted to
extend his dominion over into Ethiopia but could not succeed.
Some years ago, ruins of ancient dwellings were discovered in Upper
Rhodesia, which were declared by Dr. MacIver of Oxford to be those of an
ancient African civilization.