an ▁period , ▁M amps is ▁was ▁an ▁important ▁station ▁on ▁Inc ense ▁Road , ▁running ▁from ▁the ▁Id ume an ▁Mountains , ▁through ▁the ▁Arab ah ▁and ▁Ma ' ale ▁Ak rab im , ▁and ▁on ▁to ▁Be er - She va ▁or ▁to ▁Heb ron ▁and ▁Jerusalem . ▁The ▁city ▁covers ▁ ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁smallest ▁but ▁best ▁restored ▁city ▁in ▁the ▁Neg ev ▁Des ert . ▁The ▁once - l ux ur ious ▁houses ▁feature ▁unusual ▁architecture ▁not ▁found ▁in ▁any ▁other ▁N ab ata e an ▁city . ▁ ▁The ▁re construct ed ▁city ▁gives ▁the ▁visitor ▁a ▁sense ▁of ▁how ▁M amps is ▁once ▁looked . ▁Ent ire ▁streets ▁have ▁surv ived ▁int act , ▁and ▁there ▁are ▁also ▁large ▁groups ▁of ▁N ab ata e an ▁buildings ▁with ▁open ▁rooms , ▁cour ty ards , ▁and ▁terra ces . ▁The ▁stones ▁are ▁carefully ▁ch ise led ▁and ▁the ▁arch es ▁that ▁support ▁the ▁ce iling ▁are ▁remark ably ▁well ▁constructed . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁M amps is ▁was ▁founded ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁century ▁BC ▁as ▁trade ▁post ▁between ▁Pet ra ▁and ▁Gaz a . ▁Also ▁based ▁on ▁agricult ure , ▁it ▁continued ▁to ▁develop ▁over ▁time . ▁When ▁its ▁trade ▁with ▁the ▁Roman ▁occupation ▁w an ed ▁the ▁city ▁developed ▁a ▁luc r ative ▁trade ▁bre eding ▁fine ▁horses , ▁not ably , ▁the ▁ren owned ▁Arab ian ▁horse . ▁During ▁the ▁By z antine ▁period ▁M amps is ▁received ▁support ▁from ▁the ▁authorities ▁as