Nabataea

The campaign brief

"While there are many Arabian tribes who use the desert as pasture, the Nabataeans far surpass the others in wealth, although they are not much more than ten thousand in number." – Diodorus Siculus

Ahh, the endless desert. It is our most important ally in the struggle for control over the rich trade routes from the East. Many have harassed our ancestors, trying to take part in this lucrative business between East and West. But whether it was the Babylonians under their king Nabonidus, the Syrians under the Antigonid welp Demetrios, or recently the Egyptians under the effeminate Ptolemaios: none could master the desert and overcome us, proud Nabataeans.

We have lived a simple but hard life in the midst of a life-threatening environment for centuries, taking full advantage of the few opportunities that the desert provides for survival. We feed our sheep and goats on the sparse green spots, living as nomads in tent camps instead of the solid houses of our distant neighbours. We tend to leave agriculture to the ‘settled’ peoples, even though we also have a wide-ranging irrigation system with ingenious wells and hidden cisterns.

In that most beloved of rocks, Petra, our little gem of the desert, we have started to create a stone-built testimony of our existence. This is one of our few permanent dwellings in the great desert, a focal point and central gathering for the might of our people. If one could reach this most venerable of cities, one would be amazed by the sight of countless rich caravans carrying the coveted goods of East such as frankincense, myrrh and delicious spices. All have to pass through Petra, it is from here that other caravans take them to the Mediterranean ports to be shipped to the West.

The camel provides us with irreplaceable services and, in addition to transport, also serves as a dreaded weapon in warfare. The fickle horses of our foes know neither its smell nor sounds! They would rather run away than face them in battle.

Some might accuse us of having adopted the ways of our enemies’ horses, quickly retreating out of sight when an enemy approaches. Hah! These fools time and again seem to substitute bravery for true intelligence. Why fight if we can also retreat into the inaccessible parts of the desert, wait until heat and thirst have done much of the hard work for us? Only once all they can think of is a drop of water to quench their all-consuming thirst, we put them out of their misery…

It is this strategy that we have employed with great success, defeating the great Antigonids not once but twice, forcing him to give up his high-flying plans to control the extraction and sale of the much-coveted asphalt from the Dead Sea. What did he think? This is and will always be the privilege of OUR people! Similarly, we also put the scheming Ptolemaios in his place.

Of course, we secretly dream of more than our beloved desert. We aspire to possess the ports of the Levant ourselves, to reap even more benefits from the most lucrative trade of the goods from the Far East. On the shores of the Mediterranean, however, we will have to face the great Hellenistic monarchies with their mighty armies. Powerful enemies, who are constantly at war with each other, and who always try to court our brave warriors in order to hire them as mercenaries and buccaneers.

Perhaps, one day, there will be a moment of weakness to exploit. Perhaps, one day, the camel will trample all those idiots styling themselves heirs of the boy-king. Perhaps, one day, we will finally find a great king, ready and able to lead the Nabateans out of the endless desert into the greater world…