▁dynast y ▁and ▁a ▁leading ▁kingdom ▁in ▁the ▁Roman ▁East . ▁His ▁Pri est - K ing ▁dynast y ▁ruled ▁from ▁ 6 4   BC ▁until ▁at ▁least ▁ 2 5 4 . ▁ ▁When ▁Sam ps ic er am us ▁I ▁died ▁in ▁ 4 8   BC , ▁he ▁was ▁succeeded ▁by ▁son , ▁I amb lich us ▁I . ▁In ▁his ▁reign , ▁the ▁prom in ence ▁of ▁Em esa ▁grew ▁after ▁I amb lich us ▁I ▁established ▁it ▁as ▁the ▁new ▁capital ▁of ▁the ▁Em es ene ▁dynast y . ▁The ▁economy ▁of ▁the ▁Em es ene ▁Kingdom ▁was ▁based ▁on ▁agricult ure . ▁With ▁fert ile ▁vol can ic ▁soil ▁in ▁the ▁Or ont es ▁Valley ▁and ▁a ▁great ▁lake , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁a ▁dam ▁across ▁the ▁Or ont es ▁south ▁of ▁Em esa , ▁which ▁provided ▁am ple ▁water , ▁Em esa ' s ▁soil ▁was ▁ideal ▁for ▁cultiv ation . ▁Far ms ▁in ▁Em esa ▁provided ▁whe at , ▁v ines ▁and ▁ol ives . ▁Em esa ▁in ▁anti qu ity ▁was ▁a ▁very ▁wealth y ▁city . ▁The ▁city ▁was ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁a ▁trade ▁route ▁from ▁the ▁East , ▁heading ▁via ▁Pal my ra ▁that ▁passed ▁through ▁Em esa ▁on ▁its ▁way ▁to ▁the ▁coast . ▁An ▁example ▁on ▁how ▁wealth y ▁Em esa ▁was , ▁ancient ▁pieces ▁of ▁j ew ell ery ▁have ▁been ▁found ▁at ▁the ▁ne c ropol is ▁of ▁Tell ▁Ab u ▁Sab un , ▁suggests ▁that ▁the