Petra Ancient City Of Trade

Petra Ancient City Of Trade

 

Trade in the ancient city of Petra

 

The ancient stone city of Petra is known to have flourished for several centuries, even way after it was annexed to the Roman Empire in 106 A.D.However, the Roman Empire eventually moved its center of trade away from Petra to a location closer to the coast, which caused the city's importance to slowly fade way. Over time, the city that was once the center of a bustling and vibrant trading route, was abandoned and fell into ruins due to centuries of natural calamities and neglect.

 

Origins of Trade

 

Although it is not exactly known when the ancient city was built, the fact thatthe city began to prosper as the capital of the Arab Nabataean Empire and its people is well established. This is estimated to be from the 1st century BC, which allowed Petra to grow rich through commerce and thetrade of valuable resources such as myrrh, frankincense, and various spices.

 

 

Rags to Riches

 

Over time, it is has also been established that the Nabataean Empire had further gone on to become successful traders due to their keen survival skills and vast knowledge of the desert. Not to say that the location of Petra didn’t have anything to do with it as they gained control of most of the vital trade and caravan routes that were used to move spices and incense from central Arabia to places like Egypt and the Mediterranean Sea as well.

 

It is also a well-known fact that these earlier, nomadic merchants eventually became very rich and slowly gave up their simple, nomadic lives and shoddy tents to build the grand structures, houses, aqueducts and other monuments that came to be known as the city of Petra. However, the actual reason as to why the Nabataeans gave up their nomadic life to settle down in one single place is still a widely speculated mystery.

 

Peak of Trade and Civilization

 

With the development of regular trade into caravan trade, Petra began serving as the Middle East’s vital trade center between the kingdoms of Arabia, and the eastern Mediterranean. The city eventually reached its peak population ofan estimated 20,000 people, roughly 2,000 years ago.

 

And after the Roman annexation of Petra, the caravan trade began to fade out. And, although the historic trade city was occupied even during theMiddle Ages, it was constantly hit by a series of earthquakes and other natural calamities that eventually led to its abandonment. It is also known as the Petra ancient city of trade.