David Tschanz
The Nabataeans: A Brief History of Petra and Madain Saleh is an easy to read, popular history of Petra, “the rose red city, half as old as time” and the mysterious Nabataeans who carved it from the living rock. The book is now available in print from UK based Medina Publishing.
Tschanz explains how geography and geology made the eventual site of Petra the most attractive real estate in the Middle East. He then tells the story of how the Nabataeans, coming from Arabia, moved into the region and established their capital there in the fifth century BCE. Within a few decades, Petra was the headquarters of a vast commercial empire that controlled the East-West trade in incense, myrrh, spices, and silk, from borderland between Syria and Arabia, and the Euphrates to the Red Sea. Incredibly wealthy they were best known to their contemporaries for their hydraulic engineering, pottery, and monumental buildings. Looking to guard their fortunes they foiled Antony and Cleopatra’s escape, opposed the Herods and built a southern capital, Madain Saleh, in Saudi Arabia. How they came to be, what they achieved and what happened to them, is a tale worth reading. The print version of the book can be obtained at https://medinapublishing.com/books/the-nabataeans-a-brief-history-of-petra-and-madain-saleh/ you can also order a copy via Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Petra-Brief-History-David-Tschanz-ebook/dp/B008AANWF2?ref_=ast_author_mpb. There is no particular advantage of direct order vs. Amazon in terms of price. About the author: David Tschanz was born in Connecticut and moved to Saudi Arabia in 1989. David is a well regarded historian and travel writer whose fascination with the Nabataeans dates back three decades. He has made over 40 visits to both sites including trips leading study groups. With over 950 published articles and eight books on topics ranging from ancient civilizations to computer technology he brings an eclectic approach to his subjects.