The incense trade network functioned through a complex and shifting array of nodes rather than a single continuous route. These nodes formed a chain of interconnected urban and semi-urban centers that enabled the movement of goods through arid deserts, coastal harbors, and mountain passes. Major cities like Shabwa, Qanī, Petra, and Gaza acted as primary anchors, while secondary stations such as Dadan, Hegra, and Najrān regulated the flow of goods through taxation and water provisioning. Maritime ports like Moscha Limen (Dhofar), Sumhuram, and Myos Hormos linked seaborne trade from Arabia, East Africa, and India to Red Sea and Mediterranean transit points. These locations were not only commercial spaces but also cultural and administrative hubs, often fortified and equipped with cisterns, temples, and caravanserais. Political control over these nodes shifted over time between South Arabian kingdoms, Nabataeans, Egyptians, Romans, and eventually the Himyarites and Aksumites, each influencing the route's orientation and efficiency.

They played a crucial role in facilitating the exchange of various goods, including Arabian frankincense and myrrh, Indian spices, precious gemstones, pearls, ebony, silk, and high-quality textiles. Additionally, the trade routes facilitated the transportation of rare woods, feathers, animal skins, Somali frankincense, gold, and slaves from the Horn of Africa. This flourishing land trade in incense between South Arabia and the Mediterranean thrived approximately from the 3rd century BC to the 2nd century CE.

City of Petra
The City of Petra was a principal terminus and redistribution hub on the overland route northward through the Levant. Controlled by the Nabataeans, Petra sat at the strategic junction of the incense route and the overland route to Gaza. It offered extensive warehousing, taxation mechanisms, and market systems for aromatics, spices, and other high-value goods. Its rock-cut architecture and hydraulic engineering reflected its status as both a commercial and ceremonial center integral to the incense economy.

Adulis
Adulis port, located on the Red Sea coast of modern-day Eritrea, functioned as a major port for the Aksumite Kingdom. It received incense, ivory, and exotic African goods from the interior and rerouted them northward to Egypt and southward to Arabia and India. Adulis also facilitated Roman and Byzantine naval trade, especially during periods of strained land access due to political conflict in Arabia.

Leuke Kome
The Leuke Kome (identified with the Nabataean port of Aynuna) was a Nabataean-controlled Red Sea port serving as a maritime entry point for incense and other goods arriving from southern Arabia and East Africa. It connected to Petra via caravan routes and functioned as a tax station under Roman oversight. Its harbor and infrastructure reflect its specialized function as a logistical node rather than a civic center. The name meaning "white village", was a significant port city along the Nabataean segment of the Incense Route. Situated on the Red Sea coast, it served as a pivotal trading hub for the Nabataean Kingdom, particularly during the Roman period when it became the premier trade port. Leuke Kome facilitated the transportation of valuable commodities like frankincense and myrrh from southern Arabia to the Mediterranean world. Its strategic location allowed it to play a crucial role in maritime trade, connecting the Arabian Peninsula with Egypt and other regions. While the exact location of Leuke Kome is debated, its historical significance as a key trading center along the Incense Trade Route remains undisputed.

Shivta
Ancient Shivta, also known as Sobata, served as a small yet well-placed stop and minor trading post along the Incense Trade Route in the central Negev region. While slightly off the main trade route, Shivta was an essential stop and resting point for traders and caravans moving goods between Petra and Gaza and by extension the Mediterranean world and eastern sources of frankincense and myrrh. Although not extensively excavated, Shivta's main monuments suggest its significance as a hub for commerce and cultural exchange during ancient times. Though not heavily fortified or politically dominant, it contributed by providing shelter, water, and minor trade redistribution for incense-bound caravans.

Madain Saleh (al-Hijr)
Located in the Hijaz, Madain Saleh was the southern counterpart to Petra in the Nabataean domain. It was a critical point for caravans moving north from Mecca, Tayma, or further south. Inscriptions and tombs found here attest to its urban prosperity and integration into the incense trade economy. It was both a religious and commercial node.

Tayma
Ancient Tayma was a long-inhabited oasis and served as a key relay point between the southern Arabian incense-producing regions and the northern cities of the Levant. Due to its strategic location and permanent water sources, Tayma operated as a provisioning and taxation point. It also had periods of significant cultural influence, with inscriptions in multiple scripts found there.

Mecca
Although some Muslim sources relate that Mecca was a commercial and trade hub involved in Incense Trade among others, the historical evidence suggests that Mecca was not a direct part of the Incense Trade Route. While Mecca was a significant trade hub in pre-Islamic times, particularly for its role in caravan trade and pilgrimage, it was not directly situated along the path of the Incense Trade Route. The Incense Route primarily linked the Mediterranean world with eastern and southern sources of aromatic substances such as frankincense and myrrh, running through areas like southern Arabia and the Levant. However it may have served as a minor or emergency sort of stop for caravans traveling north.

Duma al-Jandal
Possible? Speculated at best. Located in northern Arabia, Duma al-Jandal possibly linked the Arabian interior with Mesopotamian and Levantine trade networks. It may have functioned as a relay and collection point for goods heading northwest. Its fortified layout suggests a role in security and taxation of caravans. It helped in extending incense distribution into Syria and beyond.

Timna
Timna, once the capital of the Qatabanian Kingdom, served as a southern center of control over incense-producing areas. It coordinated the initial packaging, measurement, and taxation of frankincense and myrrh. From here, products moved toward the highlands and northward to Ma’rib and Shabwah before reaching desert routes.

Marib
The ancient Marib, located in present-day Yemen, was a significant part of the ancient incense trade route. The kingdom of Saba, with Marib as its capital, flourished within the semi-arid landscape of valleys, mountains, and deserts, serving as a crucial hub along the frankincense trade route through the Arabian Peninsula. Marib's strategic location made it integral to the trade of valuable commodities like frankincense, facilitating commerce between regions. The prosperity of Marib and its surrounding areas was deeply intertwined with the incense trade network that connected the Arabian Peninsula with distant markets such as India and the Mediterranean. Ma’rib, capital of the Sabaean Kingdom, was a dominant political and infrastructural center for much of the incense route’s early history. Its sophisticated dam system enabled stable agriculture and supported caravan logistics. Ma’rib controlled much of the highland incense consolidation and long-distance camel caravans.

Myos Hormos
This Ptolemaic and later Roman port on the Red Sea was a crucial maritime terminal for goods coming from Arabia, Africa, and India. Myos Hormos connected via a road to Coptos and the Nile, facilitating the movement of incense into the Roman trade sphere. It housed harbormasters, customs officials, and warehousing for bulk aromatics.

Berenice Troglodytica
Further south than Myos Hormos, Berenice served as an alternative Red Sea port and was especially active during later Roman periods. It provided direct access to Indian Ocean trade and served as a reception and dispatch center for goods bound for Alexandria and the Mediterranean. Frankincense arriving via the Gulf of Aden often passed through here.

Coptos
Coptos was the main Egyptian Nile-side city receiving goods from Myos Hormos and Berenice. It acted as the critical Nile valley gateway through which incense was moved to Alexandria and onward into the Mediterranean. Its local temples and administrative complexes underscore its importance in state-controlled trade. With a significant agricultural basin, Coptos port on the Nile was established at the mouth of one of the main tracks connecting the Valley to the Red Sea, the Wadi Hammamat, road that also allows access to popular mineral deposits ancient. For four millennia, the city has been a thriving economic center.

Muza
The Muza was an important Red Sea Port, it was a busy trading port during Nabatean and Roman era. It was located near present-day Mocha in Yemen, was a bustling port engaged in shipping frankincense and Indian goods northward. It served as a collection and dispatch point and later became a focal maritime outlet for the Himyarite kingdom. Its infrastructure reflects sustained high-volume trade. It might have been one of the ports used by Muslim Migrants to cross Red Sea and reach Aksum in the early seventh century CE, well after the decline of the Incense Trade.

Avdat
Avdat in the Negev Desert was another Nabataean caravan stop that evolved into a fortified urban node. It played a key role in the control of the southern desert segment between Petra and the coastal ports. Its architecture includes temples and fortifications linked to trade taxation and religious rites.

Khor Rori (Sumhurum)
The Dhofari port of Samharam also known as the Khor Rori, was the maritime outlet for frankincense collected in the highlands of southern Oman. Archaeological remains at Sumhurum reveal complex harbor installations, storage areas, and administrative buildings. It connected with both African and South Arabian land and sea routes, and was closely tied to the production zones of Boswellia sacra.

Yathrib
Ancient Yathrib, later known as Medina, lay on the northbound caravan route connecting Mecca to the Levant. While not a production or maritime hub, it served as a waystation and provisioning center for caravans. Its fertile surroundings made it a critical support point during long desert crossings.

Najran
Najran, located in the southern Arabian highlands near the incense production zones, acted as an early Sabaean outpost and later evolved into a Himyarite and Christian commercial hub. It facilitated the aggregation of incense before it was sent northward via Mecca and Tayma. It also had a strategic military and religious role.

Shabwah
Shabwah, capital of the Hadramawt Kingdom, was among the earliest incense consolidation and taxation centers. It linked the highland collection zones with ports such as Qana and Sumhurum and helped administer internal levies and redistribution. Its archaeological record confirms its central role in frankincense control and export.

Qana (modern Bir Ali)
Qana served as the maritime counterpart to Shabwah and functioned as a major Himyarite and Hadramite port. It received frankincense caravans from the interior and transshipped goods across the Indian Ocean and up the Red Sea. The port’s location and archaeological remains suggest extensive foreign contact and active export administration.