By Dr. Randall Smith
Courtesy of Christian Travel Study Programs, Ltd.
Perhaps the most impressive period of Negev history was during the time of Nabatean rule. An ingenious people, the Nabateans controlled the caravan routes stretching from the Persian Gulf to the Mediterranean. They exported spices, the most desired commodity in the Roman world.
By establishing caravan “way stations,” where water, food and other supplies were available, the Nabateans established a network of bases that eventually developed into the very special “cities of the desert.” In addition, utilizing their intimate knowledge of the desert the Nabateans were able to harness winter floods and to harvest crops in a significant portion of the Negev.
One of the best preserved examples of a Nabatean city is Avdat, named after a Nabatean king who ruled in the second half of the first century BC (King Herod’s time). The city dominates the plateau of the Negev Highlands (over 600 meters above sea level) and became a center of commerce, culture and worship up until the Muslims conquered the Negev 700 years later.
With the establishment of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire by Constantine in the 4th century AD, Nabateans began to convert. Byzantine churches were often built to make an impression on the pagans and to convince them to convert. Avdat’s magnificent churches and basilicas were adorned with exquisite marble and even cedars of Lebanon. Of particular interest are the cruciform baptismal fonts found at the ancient city. While a few are small, others were tailor-made for adult conversion.
© Christian Travel Study Programs, Ltd.
