Arabia and the Arabian Peninsula

Dilmun - Bahrain

Glossary entry on ancient trading center of Dilmun in moder Bahrain.

Qatar - Ancient Area Now Known as Qatar

The area of the Persian Gulf now known as Qatar has long been important for trade.

Saudi Arabia

The ancient people of Saudi Arabia traded with Egypt and the Persian Gulf.

Mesopotamia

Small map of the region with general timelines of Persia, Sumer, Babylon, and Assyria, article on the ziggurats, photo of clay tablet, and information on the gods.

Nippur at the Center of the World

The ancient walled city, founded c 46,000 B.C., enclosed 334 acres. During its heyday as a religious center its population around 40,000. Bibliography.

Ancient Accounts of Arabia

From the History Sourcebook, passages from Herodotus, Strabo, Dio Cassius, Ammianus Marcellinus, and Procopius on the Arabs.