The Wealth of the Arab Kingdoms

The first century roman writer, strabo recounts that the nabotians even dabbled in sea born piracy. Nabatia is a country with a large population and well supplied with pasturage. They also dwell on islands situated off the coast near by. And these nabatians formerly lived a peaceful life, but later by means of rafts wen plundering the vessels of people sailing from egypt. But they paid the penalty when a fleet went over and sacked their country. Soon it was more profitable not to rob the caravans, but to offer them protection, to pass through their territory for a price. By the end of the first millennium b c, the