Economy and Trade

Sheep, goats, and camels were central to the economy of Kedar. Ezekiel names Arabia and the princes of Kedar as suppliers of lambs, rams, and goats to Tyre.

Pastoral herding was complemented by caravan commerce. Control of desert routes allowed Arabian leaders to benefit from the movement of goods between southern Arabia, the Levant, Mesopotamia, and Egypt.

Imperial demands for tribute show that the Arabian trading and pastoral economy was significant enough to attract sustained Assyrian attention.