Qataban

Qataban ( altsüdarabisch Qtbn, also Kataban or Kataban ), was an ancient kingdom in Yemen since the 8th century BC

History

The origins of Qataban in northern Yemen are unknown. Towards the end of the 8th century Qataban was conquered by Yitha'amar watar I of Sheba. Shortly after it came under the rule of Ausan. After this had been conquered by the allies Qataban Saba, Qataban was a vassal of its western neighbors Saba again and received Ausan itself and subjected Ausan of areas on the coast of the Indian Ocean. To what extent Qataban was able to control the maritime trade with Africa and India, it is unclear in any case was the southern coast of Yemen still Sumuhu'ali Yanuf III. , Shortly before the qatabanischen independence, under Sabean control. In the 4th or 3rd century BC Qataban could, probably in alliance with Ma'in and Hadramaut, dissolve under King Yada'ib Yigal I. from the Sabaean supremacy. Although Saba was a few decades later to stop the rise Qatabans in the Battle of Tuhargib, but it was the breakup of the Sabaean empire no longer be avoided.

Since then, the kingdom Qataban dominated beside the tribes represented in the Council of State Qataban, Radman, Madhay, Almalik and Yahir the outer areas Ausan, Kahad, Dahas, Tubanaw that originate from the former kingdom of Ausan, and in the West, against the Bab al - Mandab located bkl - districts. With the conquest of Hadramaut by Yada'ib Dhubyan Yuhan'im ( 220-205 BC ) and the victory over Amir Qataban reached the height of its power, it is now controlled large parts of the Yemeni coastal plain and at the same time a connection to the Incense Road. Since Haufi'amm Yuhan'im II qatabanischen the rulers wore five generations the title Mukarrib, which they probably as a " connector " of the tribal confederation, which formed the State auswies.

Capital of the country was Timna, which lay on the Incense Route. Like the other South Arabian kingdoms depended also Qataban significantly from the incense trade.

Momentary succeeded Qataban under King Shahr Yigal Yuhargib (around 80 BC) even erect II a hegemony over the spice route controlled Kingdom of Ma'in, but hardly later qatabanische hegemony over South Arabia collapsed: Well with the help Sabas obtained Radman, Ausan, Ma'afir and that until then did not mention Himyar independence. The West Qatabans and later Ma'in was thus to Saba and Himyar, making the qatabanische empire, which had replaced the domination of the ancient Sabaean Yemen, was terminated.

As a result, the power of the king qatabanischen continued to decline, Shahr Yigal Yuhargib III. ( Kenneth A. Kitchen: around 45-65 AD) temporarily lost the legislative power to some in qatabanischen core area resident tribes. In the 1st century AD Timna lost its status as qatabanische capital, just a few kilometers away dhu - Ghail was instead ( Hajar ibn Humaid ) to the center Qatabans. To 150 Hadramaut finally conquered Qataban; later than under the rule of King hadramitischen Yadi'ab Ghaylaan II Qataban was completely in hadramitischer hand.

The kings of Qataban

In contrast to the sequence of Saba qatabanischen kings is pretty well secured, therefore, the following list, which is a slightly modified version of the results of research Kenneth A. Kitchens are considered largely reliable.