Sheba

Saba ( Sabean s1b ʾ; Greek Σάβα; Hebrew Seba; Arab saba ʾ ) was a kingdom in what is now Yemen between 1000 BC and 400 AD, with its capital at Ma'rib. The study of the history and culture of this country is still patchy. In particular, the chronology of historical events and the famous kings is not secured.

See:

• Rulers of Saba and Himyar
• List of rulers of Saba

History

Early period and Sabas dominance

In the Bible the visit of the Queen of Sheba (also Queen of Sheba ) is mentioned, who came to King Solomon. The historicity of this visit is unclear, in particular whether this was a ruler from the South Arabian kingdom. The kingdom of Sheba was founded no later than the 8th century BC, the tribe of Sabians in northwestern Yemen, partly the 10th century BC is already accepted; speaks for the settlement continuity in Marib and other places. Perhaps initially was Sirwah the capital of the empire, however, Marib was the economic and cultural center of the empire, at least since the onset of written sources with Karib'il I.. Economic base of the country was agriculture and the incense trade which was controlled by Marib. Dam systems were to irrigate the oasis of Marib early built, the predecessor of the famous dam of Marib.

The first mention of Sheba is a note at Haditha (Iraq) found that reported a governor of Suchu and Mari have been in the middle of the 8th century BC in Hindanu a caravan of Sheba and Tayma invaded ( at Abu Kemal ). In the year 715 BC, made ​​a Itamra of Sheba and around 685 BC a Karibilu the Neo-Assyrian Empire of Sheba tribute. The identification of the two kings with kings from sources Sabean has not been definitively established, as several kings of this name are occupied. However, is considered likely that Itamra with Yitha'amar watar I. and Karibilu with Karib'il watar I. is to be identified. Yitha'amar watar I, who consequently reigned around 715 BC, the south of Saba conquered territories Qatabans and strengthened Sabas influence in Jawf by defeating Kaminahu. Shortly thereafter, Saba Qataban lost to the Kingdom Ausan. However, it succeeded Karib'il watar I (c. 685 BC) in several campaigns the subjugation of neighboring states Ausan, whose territory was added to the vassals Qataban, as well as by the conquest of Najran control of the frankincense trade. In addition to the incense trade there was an extensive maritime trade with the East African coast. Especially in today's Eritrea and Tigray in Ethiopia colonists settlements were established, resulting in a mixed culture arose, the basis of the Ethio - Sabaean kingdom of Da'amot / Di'amat and later, n from the 1st century AD, the empire of Aksum been.

As to the maintenance of the population of Sheba was built in the 6th or 4th century BC, the famous dam of Marib. This dam large areas of desert land on the edge of the Rub al Khali could be brought under cultivation, which contributed significantly to the rise of Sheba. In the second half of the 6th ( Hermann von Wissmann ) or 4 ( Kenneth A. Kitchen) century BC under King threw Yithi'amar Bayyin II, who also completed the Mariber dam, Ma'in, Amir and the now apparently again lost Najran.

Loss of supremacy

In the 4th century BC, won the vassals Ma'in, Qataban and Hadramaut and the area temporarily Sum'ay their independence, the first evidence of Ma'ins independence dates from around 420 BC To 390 BC suggested Qataban Saba. Due to the loss of Ma'in, which lay between Saba and Najran, Saba temporarily lost control of the Incense Road. Since Saba with the Bab el Mandeb - controlled also by sea through the Red Sea to India, tried the Roman emperor Augustus (27 BC to 14 AD) to submit to Saba. These took the Roman general Aelius Gallus under the leadership of Chancellor Nabataean Syllaios with Roman, Judean and Nabataean troops in 25 BC an expedition to southern Arabia. After a long, arduous and costly march reached the Roman army, which according to Strabo ( Geography, XVI 4:23-24 ) was led by Syllaios intentionally misleading, the northern border city of Saba, Najran, which was taken after a short battle, and shortly thereafter the former Minaean city Yathill ( Yemeni Name: Baraqisch ), was occupying the Gallus. He then besieged according to Strabo six days Marib, but then withdrew due to lack of water and of disease and reached without further difficulties early 24 BC, the Nabatean kingdom. Despite the military superiority of the Romans, the campaign was unsuccessful due to the ignorance of the terrain. His political peaked Saba with the conquest of Hadramaut (242 ), bringing back all the Incense Road was controlled in Yemen.

Dominance Himyar and end

By shifting the trading routes, the coastal areas increasingly gained importance. So could the Himyarites that were first mentioned at the beginning of the 1st century AD in a hadramitischen inscription and Pliny the Elder, in the southern highlands of Yemen since 100 gaining in influence as it better the ports and thus maritime trade could control. According to Kenneth A. Kitchen Saba and Himyar of about 0-140 AD were united under a personal union. Around the same time disintegrated into several clans or dynasties Saba, which fought for supremacy: the traditional dynasty of Marib, the Hamdanids to Nait, the Marthad in Shibam and the Gurat from Jebel fireplace. In around 200 AD, the Hamdanids seized power in itself, but the old center of Marib was still the religious center Sabas. ' Alhan Nahfan ( around 200 AD ) initially allied with the Abyssinians, his son Sha'ir Awtar contrast Aksum fought back, hit 217/18 at Schawa'ran the Hadramaut and threw an uprising of the Central Arabian Kinda (280 km north-east Najran ) down. In the Sabean - himjarische Battle of Hurmat 248/49, neither party seems to have won a clear victory, to Saba 260 finally was finally conquered by Himyar. Although the Himyarites considered as the successor of the Sabeans, but could not be stopped, the decline of the hinterland. Increasingly disintegrated irrigation systems, which led to the exodus of the population. After several dam failures Marib was finally abandoned in 572.

With the support of East Roman Aksumites conquered under her Negus Ella Asbeha 525 South Arabia after it had fallen to 517 to the Jewish king Yusuf As ʾ ʾ ar ar Yath. Yemen was briefly an Aksumite vassal state to 575 it passed into the function of the New Persian Sassanidenreichs until it 597/598 a Persian province was.