Sabata, 270 BC
Greetings, traveler. I am Halik II Watar, son of Yalik II Watar, the ruler of this realm. You stand in Sabaean lands, a land of many riches, and it is from here that greatness can begin!
Never heard of us? I'm afraid that that's due to the sands of time being quite unkind to my people. It used to be that people would cross the desert at great length and expense, to obtain a piece of our goods, our wealth. You see, as well as being a land of spices, dates, and all manner of things other kingdoms desire, we are also the gateway to the far East. The Saba were, in that time, prosperous. We cultivated cities the envy of those further north, and while we never had an empire to rival the northerners', the tribes of the south formed a federation, with us at the head. Life was good.
Those times were ending. Our people relied on the caravans to bring wealth. The northerners discovered how to ply the ocean waves, and increasingly preferred those sea routes to our caravans. In addition, the great empires carved out by Cyrus and Alexander provided roads directly to the east, bypassing our lands. The federation fell apart, as the tribes squabbled. Eventually, we faded from history, forgotten in the midst of great conquests and empires.
But! Such portents do not need to be! We Saba, and all the peoples of the desert, are strong warriors; the desert has toughened us, made us the match of many. All we need is a leader. My father is content with what we have; for now, gold still flows through Maryab. This should not be! We did not, then, control Sabata, the very city that bears our name! We are capable of more. The other tribes no longer acknowledge any authority but force. But sufficient force will subdue even the most tenacious enemy.
Others in my tribe doubted my ability to take Sabata back. They outnumber you, they said. Their horses will chase you down, cut you to pieces, they said. I said, "Nothing a hail of arrows won't solve." They're quiet now.
For now, some rebuilding is in order. A federation doesn't stand on ruins. From here, who knows? The north is in chaos, thanks to Alexander's death. Perhaps this time, the sands of time will be kinder to Sabean glory. Almagah guide my steps.
------
(Yeah, I saw the other Saba AAR, but it hasn't updated in 2 years. So, let's do this!)