h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just a small technical point.
Did Moses know of the existence of the rose?
Were there any roses in the area in the time Moses was living there?
And is it possible he that he could he have seen them?

Did Moses know of roses? I don't know horticulture in the 15th Century BC so do not know whether a hardy variety of grew in Egypt, Midian, Canaan and surrounding areas. However it is well known that the Egyptians were among the richest and most powerful nations on . Wealthy countries attract trade and Moses, raised as a prince in the palace, would have grown up surrounded by luxury commodities. Trade ships criss-crossed the Mediterranean and Red Sea and, though not particularly seaworthy by today's standards, generally were able to travel long distances by staying comparatively close to the shore. So the question is, why would be traded with Egypt and the palace?

Egyptian priests, physicians and pharaohs exploited plants for a plethora of purposes, particularly for peculiar potions and perfumes, perhaps petals participated? I suspect the reason is simply that as smell nice - and Egyptians certainly used lotus flowers for perfume as well as other plants for make-up - would have been prized for their scent. So Moses may well have seen petals scattered around, and if Cleopatra could bathe in milk 1,500 years later, there's no reason why pharaohs couldn't have washed in rose-water.

Moses supposes his toeses smell of roses
For Moses's toeses are not fragrance free.
Prince Moses he knowses his toeses smell of roses,
He has a slave just to wash them – or perhaps two or three.

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