Nabonidus and the Queen of Sheba: Roots of a Legend

Befitting her name, this book offers seven unique perspectives on the visit of the Queen of Sheba to Solomon in 1 Kings 10. Although each theory stands alone and can be taken as a starting point for further investigation, the overall implication is that the Queen’s visit was not intended as a chronicle of some illustrious Arabian ruler seeking the king’s wisdom but rather, it was a reminder of the most castigated woman in the Hebrew Bible, Nitocris, wife of Nabonidus, King of Babylon (556-539 BCE). Two previous investigations, She Brought the Art of Women, and Arabian Sinai, set a new paradigm for the interpretation of the Song of Solomon and the exodus narratives, placing the stories of Abraham, Moses, and Solomon firmly in the 6th Century BCE. Nabonidus and Nitocris’ relationship was based on arcane rituals, secret initiations, and the drinking of a psychedelic, addictive potion; the ＂Queen of Sheba＂ epithet preserves this influence on the king as a caveat. Subsequent additions to the simple legend played with other associations to serve changing needs but the link to Nabonidus and Nitocris could never be lost, even if their original histories had been long forgotten.