"The legend of Saba" a Ma'rib Travel Page by Nansen

Marib is well-known for all travellers who visit Yemen for two reasons:
Firstly, it was the legendary main city of Saba kingdom, the queen of which was supposed to be Salomon´s king lover. Secondly, it is the start point in the route across the desert, which end in Seyyun (Hadramawt).
Modern Marib is also the main city of Marib region. This region has a mixture of the highlands of the west and the desert which is extended in north and east direction.
These lands are the land of beduin people, the last nomadic people of the Arabaian Peninsule, wich are sparsed by all the Ramlat as Sabatayn and the Rub al Kali deserts. If you are more interested on beduin people, you can visit my Shabwah´s site.

Beduin life in Marib is begginning to change. The traditional and isolated region of Marib, will be very different in some years, and it´s mainly because of the petrol extraction. New roads habe been builded in the desert, and new people have come to the city and the region to work. Tourist and, specially, archeology works in Saba (which are recent) are also a secondary reason of the change.