Himyarite Kingdom

Himyarite Kingdom
This article is about the ancient kingdom. For the 19th-century American racehorse, see Himyar (horse).
Himyarite Kingdom
مملكة حِمْيَر
110 BC–520s [[Aksumite Empire|→]]
Himyarite Kingdom (red) in the 3rd century AD.
Capital Zafar
San‘a’ (poss. 500s)
Language(s) Himyarite
Religion Paganism
Judaism
Christianity
Government Monarchy
King
 - 510s-520s Dhu Nuwas
Historical era Antiquity
 - Established 110 BC
 - Disestablished 520s

The Himyarite Kingdom or Himyar (in Arabic مملكة حِمْيَر mamlakat ħimyâr) (r. 110 BC–520s), historically referred to as the Homerite Kingdom by the Greeks and the Romans, was a kingdom in ancient Yemen. Established in 110 BC, it took as its capital the modern day city of Sana'a after the ancient city of Zafar. The Kingdom conquered neighbouring Saba (Sheba) in c.25 BC, Qataban in c.200 CE, and Hadramaut c.300 CE. Its political fortunes relative to Saba changed frequently until it finally conquered the Sabaean Kingdom around 280 CE.[1]

Contents

History

The Himyarite Kingdom was the dominant polity in Arabia until 525 AD. Its economy was based on agriculture, and foreign trade centered on the export of frankincense and myrrh. For many years, the kingdom was also the major intermediary linking East Africa and the Mediterranean world. This trade largely consisted of exporting ivory from Africa to be sold in the Roman Empire. Ships from Himyar regularly traveled the East African coast, and the state also exerted a large amount of Influence both cultural religious and political to the trading cities of East Africa whilst the cities of East Africa remained independent. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea describes the trading empire of Himyar and its ruler Charibael (Karab Il Watar Yuhan'em II), who is said to have been on friendly terms with Rome:

"23. And after nine days more there is Saphar, the metropolis, in which lives Charibael, lawful king of two tribes, the Homerites and those living next to them, called the Sabaites; through continual embassies and gifts, he is a friend of the Emperors."
—Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, Paragraph 23.[2]

From 115 B.C. until 300 A.D.

The "Homerite Kingdom" is described in the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula in the 1st century Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.

During this period, the Kingdom of Himyar conquered the kingdom of Sheba and took Raydan/Zafar for its capital instead of Ma’rib. Its ruins still lie on Mudawwar Mountain near the town of "Yarim". During this period, they began to decline and fall. Their trade failed to a very great extent, firstly, because of the Nabetean domain over the north of Hijaz; secondly, because of the Roman superiority over the naval trade routes after the Roman conquest of Egypt, Syria and the north of Hijaz; and thirdly, because of inter-tribal warfare. Thanks to the three above-mentioned factors, families of Qahtan were disunited and scattered about all over Arabia.

From 300 AD until the advent of Islam in Yemen

This period witnessed a lot of disorder and turmoil. The great many foreign and civil wars cost the people of Yemen their independence. During this era, the Aksumites invaded Tihama & Najran for the first time in 340 AD, making use of the constant intra-tribal conflict of Hamdan and Himyar. The Aksumite occupation of Tihama and Najran lasted until 378 AD, whereafter Yemen expelled the Aksumites. After the Ma'rib Dam last Great Flood (450 or 451 AD) weakened Himyar further and led to its collapse.

In the fifth century, several kings of Himyar are known to have converted to Judaism. The political context was the position of Arabia between the competing empires of Christian Byzantium and Zoroastrian Persia. Neutrality, and good trade relations with both empires, was essential to the prosperity of the Arabian trade routes. Scholars speculate that the choice of Judaism may have been an attempt at maintaining neutrality.[3]

Coin of the Himyarite Kingdom. This is an imitation of a coin of Augustus. 1st Century CE.

Around, 500 AD, the King of Himyar, Abu-Kariba Assad, undertook a military expedition into northern Arabia in an effort to eliminate Byzantine influence. The Byzantine emperors had long eyed the Arabian Peninsula as a region in which to extend their influence, thereby to control the lucrative spice trade and the route to India. Without actually staging a conquest of the region, the Byzantines hoped to establish a protectorate over the pagan Arabs by converting them to Christianity. The cross would then bear commercial advantages as it did in Ethiopia. The Byzantines had made some progress in northern Arabia but had met with little success in Himyar.[3]

Abu-Kariba's forces reached Yathrib and, meeting no resistance and not expecting any treachery from the inhabitants, they passed through the city, leaving a son of the king behind as governor. Scarcely had Abu-Kariba proceeded farther, when he received news that the people of Yathrib had killed his son. Smitten with grief; he turned back in order to wreak bloody vengeance on the city. After cutting down the palm trees from which the inhabitants derived their main income, Abu-Kariba laid siege to the city. The Jews of Yathrib fought side by side with pagan fellow inhabitants to defend their town and harried the besiegers with sudden sallies. During the siege Abu-Kariba fell severely ill. Two Jewish scholars in Yathrib, Kaab and Assad by name, hearing of their enemy's misfortune, called on the king in his camp, and used their knowledge of medicine to restore him to health. While attending the king, they pleaded with him to lift the siege and make peace. The sages' appeal is said to have persuaded Abu-Kariba; he called off his attack and also embraced Judaism along with his entire army. At his insistence, the two Jewish savants accompanied the Himyarite king back to his capital, where he demanded that all his people convert to Judaism. Initially, there was great resistance, but after an ordeal had justified the king's demand and confirmed the "truth" of the Jewish faith, many Himyarites embraced Judaism. The conversions, however, were not total, and there remained as many pagans as Jews in the land. Such conversions, by ordeal, were not uncommon in Arabia. Some historians argue that the conversions occurred, not due to political motivations, but because Judaism, by its philosophical, simplistic and austere nature, was attractive to the nature of the Semitic people. In any case, it is known that by the 6th and 7th centuries, Judaism flourished in Himyar; and in inscriptions dating from those centuries Jewish religious terms such as "Rahman" ("the merciful," a divine epithet), "the god of Israel", and the "Lord of Judah" bears testament to this fact.[3]

Abu-Kariba's reign did not last long after his conversion to Judaism. His warlike nature prevented him from maintaining peace and prompted him to engage in bold enterprises. It is uncertain how Abu-Kariba met his death, although some scholars believe that his own soldiers, worn out by constant campaigning, killed him. He left three sons, Hasan, Amru, and Zorah, all of whom were minors at the time. After Abu-Kariba's demise, a pagan named Dhu-Shanatir seized the throne.[3]

Kahlan septs emigrated from Yemen to dwell in the different parts of the Arabian Peninsula prior to the Great Flood (Sail Al-‘Arim of Ma’rib Dam), due to the failure of trade under the Roman pressure and domain on both sea and land trade routes following Roman occupation of Egypt and Syria.

Naturally enough, the competition between Kahlan and Himyar led to the evacuation of the first and the settlement of the second in Yemen.

The emigrating septs of Kahlan can be divided into four groups:

  • Azd: Who, under the leadership of ‘Imran bin ‘Amr Muzaiqbâ’, wandered in Yemen, sent pioneers and finally headed northwards. Details of their emigration can be summed up as follows:
    • Tha‘labah bin ‘Amr left his tribe Al-Azd for Hijaz and dwelt between Tha‘labiyah and Dhi Qar. When he gained strength, he headed for Madinah where he stayed. Of his seed are Aws and Khazraj, sons of Haritha bin Tha‘labah.
    • Haritha bin ‘Amr, known as Khuza‘a, wandered with his folks in Hijaz until they came to Mar Az-Zahran. , they conquered the Haram, and settled in Makkah after having driven away its people, the tribe of Jurhum.
    • ‘Imran bin ‘Amr and his folks went to ‘Oman where they established the tribe of Azd whose children inhabited Tihama and were known as Azd-of-Shanu’a.
    • Jafna bin ‘Amr and his family, headed for Syria where he settled and initiated the kingdom of Ghassan who was so named after a spring of water, in Hijaz, where they stopped on their way to Syria.
  • Lakhm and Judham: Of whom was Nasr bin Rabi‘a, father of Manadhira, Kings of Heerah.
  • Banu Tai’: Who also emigrated northwards to settle by the so- called Aja and Salma Mountains which were consequently named as Tai’ Mountains.
  • Kindah: Who dwelt in Bahrain but were expelled to Hadramout and Najd where they instituted a powerful government but not for long, for the whole tribe soon faded away.

Another tribe of Himyar, known as Banu Quda'a, also left Yemen and dwelt in Samawa semi-desert on the borders of Iraq.

However, the majority of the Himyar christian royalty migrated into Jordan, Al-Karak, where initially they were known as Bani Himyar (Sons of Himyar). They later on moved to the centre parts of Jordan to settle in Madaba under the family name of Al-Hamarneh.

Language

The Himyarite language (Semitic, but not Sayhadic) was spoken in the south-western Arabian peninsula until the 10th century.

Kings of Saba' and Himyar

   Mukribs of Saba'
1 Yatha' Amar Bayin I
2 Yada' Il Bayin I
3 Samah Ali Yanuf I
4 Yatha' Amar Watar I
5 Yakrib Malek Zarih
6 Yakrib Malek Watar I
7 Samah Ali Yanuf II
8 Yada' Il Bayin II
9 Yatha' Amar Watar II
10 Yada' Ab I
11 Yada' Il Bayin III
12 Yakrib Malek Watar II
13 Yatha' Amar Bayin II
14 Karab Il Watar I
15 Yada' Ab II
16 Akh Karab
17 Samah Ali Watar
18 Yada' Il Zarih son of 17
19 Samah Ali Yanuf III son of 18
20 Yatha' Amar Watar III son of 18
21 Yada' Il Bayin IV son of 20
22 Yada' Il Watar I son of 20
23 Zamir Ali Zarih I son of 21
24 Yatha' Amar Watar IV son of Samah Ali Yanuf son of 20
25 Karab Il Bayin I son of 24
26 Samah Ali Yanuf IV son of 24
27 Zamir Ali Watar son of 26
28 Samah Ali Yanuf V son of 27
29 Yatha' Amar Bayin III son of 28
30 Yakrib Malek Watar III
31 Zamir Ali Yanuf son of 30
   Kings of Saba'
32 Karab Il Watar II son of 31
33 Samah Ali Zarih son of 32
34 Karab Il Watar III son of 33
35 Il Sharih I son of 33
36 Yada' Il Bayin V son of 34
37 Yakrib Malek Watar IV son of 36
38 Yatha' Amar Bayin IV son of 37
39 Karab Il Watar IV son of 38
40 Yada' Il Bayin VI son of 39
41 Samah Ali Yanuf VI son of 39
42 Yatha' Amar Watar V son of 39
43 Il Sharih II son of 41
44 Zamir Ali Bayin I son of 41
45 Yada' Il Watar II son of 44
46 Zamir Ali Bayin II son of 45
47 Samah Ali Yanuf VII son of 46
48 Karab Il Watar V son of 46?
49 Karab Yuhan'em son of Ham Athat
50 Karab Il Watar VI son of 49
51 Wahab Shamsam son of Halik Amar
52 Wahab Il Yahiz I son of Saraw
53 Anmar Yuha'man I son of 52
54 Zamir Ali Zarih II son of 53
55 Nasha Karab Yuha'man son of 54
56 Wahab Il Yahiz II
57 Zamir Ali Bayin III
58 Anmar Yuha'man II son of 56
59 Yasir Yuhan'em I
60 Shamir Yuhar'esh I son of 59
61 Yarim Aymin son of Awsalat Rafshan
62 Karab Il Watar Yuhan'em I son of 56
63 Alhan Nahfan son of 61
64 Far'am Yanhab
   Kings of Saba' & Ziridan
65 Sha'ram Awtar son of 63
66 Il Sharih Yahzib son of 64
67 Yazil Bayin son of 64
68 Hayu Athtar Yazi' son of 65?
69 Karab Il Watar Yuhan'em II son of 57
70 Watar Yuha'min son of 66
71 Zamir Ali Zarih III son of 69
72 Nasha Karab Yuha'min Yuharhib son of 66
73 Karab Il Bayin II son of 71
74 Yasir Yuhasdiq
75 Sa'd Shams Asri' son of 66
76 Murthid Yuhahmid son of 75
77 Zamir Ali Yahbir I son of 74
78 Tharin Ya'ib Yuhan'im son of 77
79 Zamir Ali Yahbir II son of 78
80 Shamdar Yuhan'im
81 Amdan Bayin Yuhaqbiz
82 Hutar Athat Yafish
83 Karab Athat Yuhaqbiz
84 Shahar Aymin
85 Rab Shams Namran
86 Il Ez Nawfan Yuhasdiq
87 Sa'd Um Namran
88 Yasir Yuhan'em II
   Kings of Saba' & Ziridan & Hazarmut & Yamnit
89 Shamir Yuhar'esh II son of 88
90 Yarim Yuharhib son of 89
91 Yasir Yuhan'im III son of 89
92 Tharin Ayfi' son of 91
93 Zari' Amar Aymin I son of 91
94 Karab Il Watar Yuhan'em III
95 Tharin Yakrib son of 89
96 Zamir Ali Yahbir III son of 95
97 Tharin Yuhan'im son of 96
98 Malki Karab Yuha'min son of 97
99 Zari' Amar Aymin II son of 98
100 Ab Karab As'id son of 98
101 Hasan Yuha'min son of 100
102 Sharhib Il Ya'fir son of 100
103 Sharhib Il Yakif
104 Mu'di Karab Yan'im son of 103
105 Luhay'ath Yanuf son of 103
106 Nawfim son of 103
107 Murthid Alan Yanuf
108 Mu'di Karab Ya'fir
109 Yusif Asar

See also

References

  1. ^ See, e.g, Bafaqih 1990.
  2. ^ Source
  3. ^ a b c d "The Jewish Kingdom of Himyar (Yemen): Its Rise and Fall," by Jacob Adler, Midstream, May/June 2000 Volume XXXXVI No. 4

Bibliography

  • Alessandro de Maigret. Arabia Felix, translated Rebecca Thompson. London: Stacey International, 2002. ISBN 1-900988-07-0
  • Andrey Korotayev. Ancient Yemen. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1995. ISBN 0-19-922237-1.
  • Andrey Korotayev. Pre-Islamic Yemen. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1996. ISBN 3-447-03679-6.
  • Bafaqīh, M. ‛A., L'unification du Yémen antique. La lutte entre Saba’, Himyar et le Hadramawt de Ier au IIIème siècle de l'ère chrétienne. Paris, 1990 (Bibliothèque de Raydan, 1).
  • Yule, P., Himyar Late Antique Yemen/Die Spätantike im Jemen, Aichwald, 2007, ISBN 978-3-929290-35-6
  • Yule, Zafar-The Capital of the Ancient Himyarite Empire Rediscovered, Jemen-Report 36, 2005, 22-29
  • Joseph Adler, "The Jewish Kingdom of Himyar (Yemen): Its Rise and Fall" Midstream, May/June 2000, Volume XXXXVI, No. 4

External links


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