Zabibe facts for kids

Zabibe (also spelled Zabibi, Zabiba, or Zabibah) was a powerful queen of the Qedar people. She ruled for five years, from 738 BC to 733 BC. The Qedarites were an ancient group of Arabs who lived in the desert areas of Syria and the Arabian Peninsula.

Queen Zabibe was a ruler who had to pay tribute to a stronger king. This king was Tiglath-Pileser III, the king of Assyria. Assyria was a very large and powerful empire in ancient times. In 738 BC, Zabibe was listed among many rulers who paid tribute to King Tiglath-Pileser III. This means she gave him gifts or payments to show her loyalty and avoid conflict.

Her official title was "queen of the Aribi," which refers to the Arabs. Historians believe that this title was often used for leaders of the nomadic Bedouin tribes living in the Syrian desert. So, it is thought that Zabibe was truly the queen of the Qedarites, a specific Arab tribe.

The name Zabībah is an old Arabic name. It likely comes from the word zabīb, which means "raisin". After Queen Zabibe, another queen named Samsi took over. Samsi also ruled for five years.