Description : Marib (Arabic: مَأْرِب, romanized: Maʾrib) is the capital city of Ma'rib Governorate, Yemen. It was the capital of the ancient kingdom of Sabaʾ (Arabic: سَبَأ), which some scholars believe to be the ancient Sheba of biblical fame. It is located approximately 120 kilometres (75 miles) east of Yemen's modern capital, Sana'a, and is in the region of the Sarawat Mountains. It has a current population of 16,794. The Sabaean kingdom was based around Ma'rib, with territory in northern Yemen. The Sabaean kings made their capital at Ma'rib, and built great irrigation works such as the Ma'rib Dam, whose ruins are still visible. The Marib Dam supported a flourishing culture for more than a thousand years. They also built castles and temples in the area, notably Awwam and Barran, respectively. Saba was known for dealing in the lucrative frankincense and myrrh trade. The Sabaeans were a seafaring people and were known to have influence and a population in the Northeast African kingdom of Dʿmt, across the Red Sea in Eritrea and Abyssinia, the only other source of both frankincense and myrrh. In 25 BC, Aelius Gallus of Rome led an expedition to Ma'rib, laying siege to the city. He suffered major losses and was forced to retreat to Egypt.
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