History of Yemen

The history of Yemen is particularly complex and of as much badly known than the sources are relatively rare and compartmental.

Prehistory

However, the first archaeological traces of human presence seems to go back to 700.000 years front J.C as the site of Hadramaout in Wadi Dowan attests it (is country). One also discovered several rupestral sites with Saada going back to nearly 7.000 years front J.C., also comprising many Neolithic stone tools in the desert of Khub Al-Khali (north-eastern of Yemen). Lastly, the prehistorians think that domestications of the cattle had to be done at the same time as attests it the traces discovered in Khawlan (north-western of Yemen).

The Bronze Age seems to start between 3.000 and 1.200 years front J.C because the archeologists found idols bronzes some on sites of small villages which practiced already irrigated agriculture. It is also known that it is during this time that Semitic populations (Sémites) completed their long immigration. Thus, Yemen what is called saw the development of the culture of Sabr along the littoral.

Antiquity

First Kingdom sabéen (disputed existence)

The first true kingdom of the Yemen is the First Kingdom Sabéen of Mareb towards -1500. According to the specialists, the biblical episode of the visit of the Queen of Sheba with Jerusalem to see King Solomon (fine Xe front century J. - C) would tend to show the power of this Royaume of Sheba. Still is necessary it to be careful because the identification of the Kingdom of Sabé to that of the Royaume of Sheba is not certain since the first real mention of the Royaume of Sheba comes from the Assyrian inscriptions of -750 front J. - C. However, one notes of XIIè with Xe front century J. - C. the rise of the first monumental inscriptions in the littoral cities which know towards -750 front J. - C. a remarkable architectural rise based on the stone. One will notice the correlation between this rise builder, which could have required an organized central capacity, and the concomitant appearance in the inscriptions of the title of " Mukkarib " (unifier).

historical Sabéen Kingdom

The first proven historical stakes go back to -716 front J. - C. when the Mukkarib Yâthiamar, King de Saba, pay tribute with the Assyrian Sargon II. Is this him which financed the digging at the same time of a catch in the rock of southern bank of the wadi Dahana? Currently, this one is integrated in the southernmost lock of the dam of Mareb. In fact, many historians think perhaps that this hydrant constituted one of the first elements of a stopping, which would make of this last the first known stopping built in the world.

Already, of the forces centifuges seem to threaten the unit of the kingdom since towards -700 front J. - C, Karibîl Watar, wire Dhamar' Ali, lance two campaigns against the town of Nashan to reduce inclinations of independence of this one. It made call using the city of Haram and Dekaminahû. Then, of -689 with -681 front J. - C, it founded the Sabéen Empire with for capital Maryab (or Mareb), after having destroyed the kingdom of Awsân. It is about the first Yemeni State unified really attested.

This empire undergoes an attack of Hadramaout which establishes a short domination in the middle of VI°s with two foreign kings who sit on the throne of Maryab. They had to also make vis-a-vis the penetration of a new foreign tribe (of Arab origin?), that of Ma' in which settled in Qarnaw and founded a new competitor kingdom. It dominated the towns of Yathill (Barâqish) and Nashan (Have-Sawdâ). However, this kingdom very tradesman recognized the suzerainty of the Royaume of Sheba and seems its became about it vassal.

the Era of Qataban

This age of properity seems to finish in V°s with a violent period of war and of instability. The kingdoms sudarabic of Sheba, Qataban, Hand and Hadramaout fight the ones against the others to sit their dominations on the area and cause a massive abandonment of the sites of Kuhâl, Arârat, Kutal, Inabba. What proves the importance of this violent fight. Finally, it is the Qataban Kingdom which carried it and melted a hegemony which lasted of -500 with -110 front J. - C.

During the era Qataban, artistic period of apogee for the Yemen, a new currency is manufactured in the middle of front IV°s J. - C. That tends to show the vitality of the caravaneers commercial exchanges between the Yemen and the whole of the Arabic peninsula. But the power of Qataban must compose with the other certainly fixed but relatively autonomous kingdoms and which maintain the complex relations between them. That prevent them from facing with external dangers effectively. Thus, towards -200 front J.C, the kingdom of Haram is destroyed by the invasion of several Arab tribes, in particular that of Amîr. These tribes, which will quickly be subjected under the supervision sabéenne, impose new worships as the principal temple of Haram shows it in which the worship of Matabnatiyân is replaced by that of Halfân, divinity of the newcomers.

Finally, it is in IIè front century J. - C. that unifies really the kingdoms yemenic under the domination of Sheba. Even if this last cannot prevent the intrusions of new Arab tribes in the Jawf, Sheba imposes can with little its capacity. With disappearance in -120 of the kingdom of Ma' in, it is the whole of the Jawf which is under the control of Sheba. The aristocracy sabéenne adapts the areas of Nashan, Nashq and Manhiyat; the remainder is abandoned with the wandering tribes. As for Qataban, it sinks and bursts with the secession of Himyar in -110 which supplants it and puts an end to its hegemony.

the hegemony of Hadramaout

The following period seems to be marked at the beginning by many important upheavals because with the fall of Qataban the destruction of many major sites like that of Raybun to the Hadramaout follows. The news gives also allows the blossoming of the small kingdom of Awsan. But finally it is a new era of commercial and caravan prosperity which opens thanks to two major factors: on the one hand the increasing expansion of the Roman Empire which, with the catch of the Egypt and the Minor Asia, offers a gigantic outlet for trade; and the development of the China and the India. In fact, the Yemen is discovered a place of central crossroads major which instigates its cities. That explains the attempt fallen through at Rome to put under supervision this area while launching in -26 a forwarding directed by Aelius Gallus which occupied a time Nashan and Yathill.

Consequently, the kingdom of Hadramaout launched out in an hegemonic policy at the beginning of Ier century a. J. - C. under the reign of Yashurîl Yuharish which extended its capacity from now on until Omani Zafâr. In front of its power, the small kingdoms still independent were linked following the example Himyar and of Zafâr. This hegemony was not done in the consensus, quite to the contrary as violence testifies some to the destruction in the Jawf (only Nashan, Nashq and Manhiyat are still inhabited in a permanent way). Moreover, Himyar launched out in a policy of colonization by melting in Érythrée of the colonies on the coast towards 45 a. J.C which will hardly remain.

The first sign of weakening of Hadramaout seems to appear in 74 with the foundation of the principality of Radmân followed towards 100 a. J. - C. restoration of the Royaume of Sheba. There still, the conflicts last being violent one because of other sites were abandoned like Haram and Kaminahû.

But Hadramaout took again its control by definitively destroying in 175 the Qataban. Only Himyar seems to have been sufficiently powerful louse to counter its hegemony. It is under the reign of Ilî' azz Yalut that Hadramaout knew its political and cultural apogee.

Then, it is a long decline: In 230, the King of Sheba Sha' R Awtar broke his alliance with the Hadramaout and seized Shabwa and of Qâni then launched the first forwardings against the Arabs of the desert. But the return in strength of Sheba was only one moment transitory broken definitively by the kings himyarites Yâsir Yuhan' m and its son Shammir Yuharish who annexed Sheba. Then, the Hamadraout could not prevent the Abyssinie from occupying of 200 with 275 the coasts of the Western Yemen. Lastly, the inevitable conflict of Hadramaout against the rising power Himyar saw the destruction of the first. The sovereign Himyarite, Shammir Yuharish, conquering the Hadramaout, unifies for the first time the totality of southernmost Arabia, thus forming the Himyarite Empire at the beginning of IV°s.

Pre-Islamic Yemen

The Himyarite Empire inaugurates the great period ostentation of the pre-Islamic Yemen so much of the point of seen the wide one of the Empire, which recovers most of the south of the Arabic peninsula, that cultural or commercial. But it is the religious question which, with many aspect, remains interesting to study to know on which compost pertaining to worship the Islam could be established also quickly and durably.

Economically, it is certain that the exchanges continue even if there are severe reverses. Indeed, in IV°s coining sudarabic cease. Worse, the system of irrigated agriculture pluriséculaire which made it possible to stop the increasing turning into a desert of the area tends to being less better maintained: the first rupture of the dam of Mareb took place under the reign of Tharan Yuhanim in 360; the second in January 456 under the reign of Sharahbi' it Ya' far, wire of Abîkarib As' AD. But the diplomatic and comemrciaux contacts with Rome multiply like the embassy of 339 - 344 of Theophilus sent by the Empereur Romain.

Politically, the Empire extends from 440 with 450 with forwardings of Abîkarib As' AD, wire of Malkîkarib Yuhanim, and its son Hassân Yuhanim which extend the capacity of Himyar on the central Arabia. For better ensuring their control, they found there a principality entrusted to Hujr, prince Kindite.

It is the religious question which shows how much the Yemen was the theater of multiple influences. Initially, into 380, Abîkarib As' AD and its its corégents are converted with the Judaïsme. This first revolution puts a final term at the Polythéisme ancestral, the large temples not only abandoned but are destroyed. Then, little by little diffuses the Christianisme which is seen like a sect and fought like such. Thus, towards 470 took place the martyr of Azqir under the reign of Sharahbi' it Ya' far. A religious fight develops between Chrétiens and Juifs under cover of a civil war. As of 519, the king of Ethiopia Kaled Ella Asbeha actively supports the coup d'etat of the Chrétien Madîkarib Yafur on the throne. In June 522, it will be carried out by the Jewish monarch Yusuf As' rear Yath' rear who hastens to sit his capacity while launching large a Persécution of the Christians whose apogee will be in November 523 with the Martyr of Aréthas Saint at Najrân.

VI°s thus sees developing religious disorders of importances but also a political decline of the Empire. Already, as of 500, the sites of Nashan, Nashq and Manhiyat are given up little by little, signs of a manifest decline. Then, the Chrétien Madîkarib Yafur had to launch a punitive forwarding in central Arabia to punish the revolt in June 521 kindite Jewish Al-Hârith which refused to recognize its usurpation. With Jewish king Yusuf rear As' Yath' rear, it is Najrân which refuses to subject in July 523. Lastly, the Empire remained impotent to counter the great invasion of 525 of the Yemen by the Abyssins elected by the Basileus. King Yusuf commits suicide.

The Christianisme is established thus by the foreign force, sweeping the last hearths judaïques forced to convert or leave. One establishes king Sumûyafa Ashwa. The disorders push this last to strengthen as of 531 Qâni (Bir-Ali) but it will be reversed in 535 by the chief of the task force Abyssin always present, Abraha. It is him which transfers the capital from Zafâr to Sanaa.

The reign of Abraha seems to mark a pause in the long decline of the Empire very tested by the civil war and nun. New work of width is implemented which attests revival of the Himyarite Empire: One repairs in March 549 the dam Marib before carrying out a complete clearing out of the old dam in 558.

The occupation abyssine however is not very accepted. Thus, in 570, an Yemeni prince Jewish, Sayf Ibn Dhi-Yaz' year, called upon the Perses to drive out Abyssins, which results in the Persian invasion Sassanide of the Yemen which reverses the king abyssin Masrûq.

Of 571 with 632, it is the great period of the domination Perse Sassanide. This one seems to even nominally control the country which does not know any more a revolt but the decline of the Yemen perdure until the catastrophe of 620. Indeed, this date marks the final rupture of the dam Mareb which puts an end to the agriculture irrigated on large scales. The country will undergo full whip in a few year the turning into a desert stopped a long time by the skilful network of drain which made Yemen a green country. Null doubts that this catastrophe and its terrible economic repercussions had an effect determining in the reception of the faith Islamique.

Sources

Bibliography

happy Arabia: antiquity with Ali Abdallah Saleh, the reunificator of Yemen of Charles Saint-Prot, edition Ellipses Marketing, Paris, 1998
happy Arabia at the time of the Queen of Sheba, VIIIe-Ier century before J. - C. of Breton Jean-François, collection " The life quotidienne" , edition Hatchet, Paris, 1998
Arabia of the South: history and civilization: Yemeni people and his roots, volume 1, of Joseph Chelhod, Maisonneuve edition & Larose, Paris, 1995

external Bonds

Chronology of Yemen
History of Yemeni Yemen
Prehistory

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