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These were cities said to have been founded by Solomon 
for the encouragement of this very traffic, of which the 
former extent is attested by their present ruins. 
From Ccelosyria, the road led through Palestine into 
Lower Egypt. But both Palestine and Lower Egypt were 
probably more easily reached, by the caravans, led by 
nomad Arabian and Syrian tribes, from Gerria (a colony of 
Babylonians on the Persian Gulf) across the desert to the 
ancientPetra. Or,by that, which departing from Hadramaut 
and Saba, in Yemen, proceeded along the eastern coast of 
the Red Sea through Old Mecca and Leucocome, to the 
same Petra in Edom. This was one of the sites of commerce 
in the time of Alexander, probably also long before ; its 
lately visited magnificent ruins, attest its former riches and 
flourishing state. To complete the course of the land 
communication, it may be stated, according to Heeren, that 
there was constant intercourse from Memphis to Thebes 
in UpperEgypt, and from that toMeroe in Ethiopia. These 
were all great marts and entrepots for ancient commerce, 
and indebted to it alone, for their splendour and magnificence. 
Meroe communicated on the east through Axum with Saba 
and Adule on the western coast of the Arabian Gulf; 
while through Thebes, the caravans passed much further to 
the westward, as through Ammonium and Cyrene, even to 
Carthage and the interior of Africa. 
Though it might be thought difficult, to bring proofs of 
all these routes, having been frequented in ancient times ; 
nothing can be more satisfactory than the ingenuity with 
which Heeren has adduced passages from ancient authors, 
to explain the course of this commerce: which he 
considers also as a reason for the founding of so many 
flourishing cities in the midst of deserts. These we know 
have gone to ruin, chiefly since the Indian trade has 
taken flight from the Red Sea and Euphrates, to round 
