<!-- factbase:aca285 -->
# Incense Route

# Incense Route

## Overview
The Incense Route was a network of trade paths connecting the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean, primarily transporting frankincense and myrrh from southern Arabia (modern Yemen and Oman) to markets in Egypt, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome.

## Key Facts
- Period: ~7th century BCE – ~2nd century CE
- Length: ~2,400 km (main overland route)
- Key goods: Frankincense, myrrh, spices, textiles
- Key peoples: Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Minaeans

## Route
- Southern terminus: Dhofar (Oman) and Hadhramaut (Yemen)
- Northern terminus: Gaza, Petra, Damascus
- Key waypoints: Shabwa, Ma'rib, Petra, Gaza [^1]

## Key Players
- Nabataeans: Controlled the northern segment from Petra; grew wealthy as middlemen
- Kingdom of Saba (Sheba): Controlled production in southern Arabia
- Romans: Attempted to conquer Arabia Felix under Aelius Gallus (25 BCE) but failed @t[=25 BCE] [^2]

## Decline
Declined after the Romans discovered monsoon wind patterns enabling direct sea trade with India (~1st century CE), bypassing overland routes.

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[^1]: Avanzini, A. *Along the Aroma Routes* (2008)
[^2]: Hoyland, R. *Arabia and the Arabs* (Routledge, 2001)
---

## Review Queue

<!-- factbase:review -->
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 10: "Period: ~7th century BCE – ~2nd century CE" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 11: "Length: ~2,400 km (main overland route)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 12: "Key goods: Frankincense, myrrh, spices, textiles" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 13: "Key peoples: Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Minaeans" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 16: "Southern terminus: Dhofar (Oman) and Hadhramaut (Yemen)" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 17: "Northern terminus: Gaza, Petra, Damascus" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 18: "Key waypoints: Shabwa, Ma'rib, Petra, Gaza [^1]" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 21: "Nabataeans: Controlled the northern segment from Petra; grew wealthy as middl..." - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 22: "Kingdom of Saba (Sheba): Controlled production in southern Arabia" - when was this true?
> Historical event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2].
- [x] `@q[temporal]` Line 23: "Romans: Attempted to conquer Arabia Felix under Aelius Gallus (25 BCE) but fa..." - when was this true?
> 25 BCE event. Attested by Avanzini (2008) [^1]; Hoyland (2001) [^2]. BCE temporal tags not yet supported by factbase.
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 10: "Period: ~7th century BCE – ~2nd century CE" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 11: "Length: ~2,400 km (main overland route)" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 12: "Key goods: Frankincense, myrrh, spices, textiles" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 13: "Key peoples: Nabataeans, Sabaeans, Minaeans" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 16: "Southern terminus: Dhofar (Oman) and Hadhramaut (Yemen)" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 17: "Northern terminus: Gaza, Petra, Damascus" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 21: "Nabataeans: Controlled the northern segment from Petra; grew wealthy as middl..." - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[missing]` Line 22: "Kingdom of Saba (Sheba): Controlled production in southern Arabia" - what is the source?
> Avanzini (2008) [^1], Hoyland (2001) [^2]
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 18: "Key waypoints: Shabwa, Ma'rib, Petra, Gaza [^1]" - Avanzini source from 2008 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Avanzini's work on ancient Arabian trade is still authoritative.
- [x] `@q[stale]` Line 23: "Romans: Attempted to conquer Arabia Felix under Aelius Gallus (25 BCE) but fa..." - Hoyland source from 2001 may be outdated, is this still accurate?
> Scholarship remains current. Hoyland's work on pre-Islamic Arabia is still foundational.