The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-16

Petra the Rock City, the frontier fort
ress, was to these regions and these peoples
what Rome was TO the Romans and Jeru-
salem to the Jews Horites, Edomites,
Nabateans and Romans. all in turn re-
joiced and boasted in the possession of
this unique stronghold. which the authors
of this book would term the most remark
able city OF antiquity 1t must at least
be acknowledged that from Typographical
and strategic point Of view no other loca-
ton in the Land OF SER can be reckoned
a rival to it. Under the Edomtes the
town was called Sela, the Rock the He
brew term corresponding to the Greek
word Petra. The natural features of the
city answer the requirements of the name
in every particular, Our authors are
doubtless right in assuming that 1t was
in the days Of the Nabateans that Petra
became the central point or entrerot to
which caravans from the interior of Arabia,
Persia and India came laden with all the
precious commodities OF the East and
from which these commodities were dis
tributed through Egypt, Palestine and
Syria, and thence among all the countries
bordering on the Mediterranean. In other
words, Petra was the Suez Of Nabatean
times, the place where the East and West
met to trade and barter 1t was also, in
fact, q great safe deposit" into which
the great caravans were glad to pour their
treasures after the vicissitudes and dam
gers of the desert. The wealth Of Petra be-
came fabulous. and 1t is not without good
reason that the first rock structure one
confronts amid the ruins Of the city, guard
ing the mysterious entrance. is still called
"Pharaoh's Treasury"
While 100 A. D. is the date when the
Romans seized the country and made Petra
the capital of this division Of Palestine our
authors point out that apparently they
did not attempt any determination OF the
inhabitants, but extended over them the
same mild sway that was exercised over
the Greek cities of the Decapolis. Just as
the towns of the Decapolis perpetuated
their characteristic life as Hellenistic urban
centers under the Roman rule 80 Petra
seems to have continued her Nabatean life
under the Roman eagles. Rome has left
her tribute to the greatness Of the Edomite
city in the fact that she stretched from
the North two Roman roads into it. and
that among the almost shapeless masses
In the floor Of the Rock City, can be traced
the ruins Of an arch OF triumph Of temples
of forum and other accessories Of Roman
civic life. When Romes power dwindled
and the fortified camps on the edge OF the
desert were abandoned no doubt her SOL
diers we're withdrawn also from such cities
as Petra. Then the Romanized Nabateans,
or Nabateanized Romans held their own
painst the desert hordes as long as they
could. and we're submerged probably about
the same time as the Greek cities of the
Deca polls. From that time onward Petra's
history becomes more and more obscure.
and for more than thousand years Edom's
ancient cap ital was completely lost to the
civilized world. Until it's discovery by
Burckharit in 1872 it's site seems to have
been unknown except to the wandering
Bedouins.
ON page s25 of the second volume is
printed a list of the travellers who have
entered Petra during the nineteenth century.
or at least of those who have left some
record of their visit. Nearly all entered
nv stealth, and more than half were driven
out after a hurried glance at the wonders
and mysteries of the place. Not more than
three or four we're allowed to spend night
within the ruins, and nearly all paid well
for the privilege. The authors Of this
narrative tell us that they we're the first
Americans to enter openly to pitch their
tents for five days and to float the American
flag unmolested within the ancient city.
or aPharaoh's Treasury" they say that
@men may differ as to the purity of the
architecture, its age, its purpose, but,
measured by the impressions it is sure to
produce upon every one who visits the
SPOT, it must surely rank among the first
of the beautiful monuments of antiquity
The fact is recalled that John Stephens,
coming directly from the banks of the Nile,
and writing years sfterward, said: Even
now that have returned 70 the puzsuts