The Queen of Sheba

The Queen of Sheba, also known as Makeda, is a legendary figure who first appears in the Hebrew Bible. According to the story, she traveled from her kingdom in southern Arabia to visit the Israelite King Solomon, bringing with her a caravan of valuable gifts. The two rulers are said to have become great friends, and Solomon is said to have given the queen many gifts in return. This account has been elaborated upon in Jewish, Islamic, Yemenite, and Ethiopian traditions, and it has become the subject of one of the most widespread and fertile cycles of legends in the Middle East. In some versions of the story, the queen and the king fall in love, and she bears him a son. In others, she is said to have been converted to Judaism by Solomon. The queen's existence is disputed among historians, but she remains a fascinating figure in world mythology. She is often depicted as a beautiful and wise woman, and her story has been told and retold for centuries.