WHO

 Have you heard of the Queen of Sheba?    When I was a kid, it was a derogatory remark to say that a woman "acted or dressed as if she were the queen of Sheba" or "thought she was the queen of Sheba."  I thought it was time for me to learn something about this gal.  Well, here's what I've learned.

Though many now think she is a total myth, this lady is mentioned in the Jewish and Christian Bibles in the Book(s) of Kings and Chronicles as well as the Islamic Quran and some African literature.  All of the stories are similar.  It seems that she heard of the mental prowess and wisdom of King Solomon of Israel and traveled there to meet him and get his advice or answer difficult questions she had.  Of course, she traveled as one with great wealth; with many servants and extravagant gifts.  

No one knows for sure exactly where the land of Sheba was; somewhere in central or south Africa or in other countries bordering the Red Sea. Most likely, it was in south Ethiopia or Yemen; but definitely somewhere peopled by those with darker skin than Solomon. Solomon answered her questions and she gave him gifts and beguiled him with her charm and great wealth.  According to some, she stayed long enough for him to gift her with a child.  No where is the name of the queen mentioned.  

For someone we know so little about, she has always stirred great interest.  More than a dozen movies have been made about her, three operas, a ballet, songs and TV shows galore.  She has been mentioned in dozens of books and portrayed in movies by Gina Lollobrigida,  Halle Berry, and  Vivica A. Fox.  

Surely there is something to her story.  Do you know a "queen of Sheba?"