During the early days of the Himyarite Kingdom, the region was mainly under the domination of the Qataban Kingdom, which ruled most parts of Yemen between 500 BC and 110 BC. The Himyarite Kingdom was named after its founder, Himyar. The story of the Himyarite Kingdom begins in 110 BC when the tribe of Himyar decided to separate from the Qataban kingdom, another kingdom based in Yemen.
The Himyarites, originally, an important tribe in the ancient Sabaean kingdom of southwestern Arabia; later, the powerful rulers of much of southern Arabia from about 115 BC to about 525 AD.
During the early days of the Himyarite Kingdom, the region was mainly under the domination of the Qataban Kingdom, which ruled most parts of Yemen between 500 BC and 110 BC. The Himyarite Kingdom was named after its founder, Himyar. The story of the Himyarite Kingdom begins in 110 BC when the tribe of Himyar decided to separate from the Qataban kingdom, another kingdom based in Yemen.
The Himyarite Kingdom was established around 110 BC. It quickly became a large Empire, controlling important parts of the Arabian Peninsula.
The Himyarites were able to form their own kingdom because of the discovery of a prosperous trade route on the Red Sea coast.
From the first century BC to the second century AD, the Himyarites absorbed the Sabean and Qataban kingdoms, as well as several local tribes. The Himyarites established their capital at Dhafar.
The Himyarite annexed Sana'a from Hamdan around 100 AD. Hashdi tribesmen rebelled against them and regained Sana'a around 180 AD. Himyar became prominent in the region, notably after conquering the legendary Kingdom of Saba, made in 280 AD. Saba had been an ancient powerhouse, controlling the entire area for almost a thousand years.
Then, the Kingdom of Hadramaout was invaded and thus ruled by the Himyarites. Therefore, the Himyarite king Shammir Yuharish fully controlled modern-day territories of Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
This centralization of power unified the entire region of southern Arabia under a single government for the first time.
Once Himyar had become unified, it sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors by focusing on the exchange of goods from abroad. They had access to a port on their southern coast that lay along an important sea route from Egypt to Asia, and they traded luxury goods such as ivory and spices, acting as a waypoint between the Roman Empire, East Africa, and India.
By 515 AD, Himyar became increasingly divided along religious lines and a bitter conflict between different factions paved the way for an Aksumite intervention. In 525, after several unsuccessful attempts, Aksumite invaders finally crushed the Himyarites. Himyarites (110 BC - 525 AD) was established around 110 BC. It quickly became a large Empire, controlling important parts of the Arabian Peninsula. The Himyarites were able to form their own kingdom because of the discovery of a prosperous trade route on the Red Sea coast.
From the first century BC to the second century AD, the Himyarites absorbed the Sabean and Qataban kingdoms, as well as several local tribes. The Himyarites established their capital at Dhafar.
The Himyarite annexed Sana'a from Hamdan around 100 AD. Hashdi tribesmen rebelled against them and regained Sana'a around 180 AD. Himyar became prominent in the region, notably after conquering the legendary Kingdom of Saba, made in 280 AD. Saba had been an ancient powerhouse, controlling the entire area for almost a thousand years.
Then, the Kingdom of Hadramaout was invaded and thus ruled by the Himyarites. Therefore, the Himyarite king Shammir Yuharish fully controlled modern-day territories of Yemen, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates.
This centralization of power unified the entire region of southern Arabia under a single government for the first time.
Once Himyar had become unified, it sought to maintain good relations with its neighbors by focusing on the exchange of goods from abroad. They had access to a port on their southern coast that lay along an important sea route from Egypt to Asia, and they traded luxury goods such as ivory and spices, acting as a waypoint between the Roman Empire, East Africa, and India.
By 515 AD, Himyar became increasingly divided along religious lines and a bitter conflict between different factions paved the way for an Aksumite intervention. In 525, after several unsuccessful attempts, Aksumite invaders finally crushed the Himyarites.
Himyarites (110 BC - 525 AD)
