Kingdom of Sheba

The Kingdom of Sheba (Latin version) or of Shéba (chamio-Semitic version) is a kingdom of Arabia of the south. This kingdom, evoked by the Bible, really seems to have existed, but it is difficult to separate the myth from the history.

Its inhabitants are called the Sabéens.

The Ethiopian tradition likes to believe that this kingdom corresponded to the ancient Ethiopia; the Yemeni also claim this myth because a kingdom of Sabé or Sheba existed in the center of Yemen. But the sources suggest a quite posterior existence at the biblical period of the reign of Solomon.

Yemeni kingdom of Sheba

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 kingdom of Sheba. Still is necessary it to be careful because the identification of the Kingdom of Sabé to that of the kingdom of Sheba is not certain since the first real mention of the Kingdom of Sheba comes from the Assyrian inscriptions of -750 front J. - C. The true “historical” kingdom of Sheba goes back to front J. - C is more than three centuries after the reign of Solomon when the Mukkarib Yâthiamar, King de Saba, pay tribute with the Assyrian Sargon II. 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, kingdom very trading, which recognized the suzerainty of the Kingdom of Sheba and became its vassal about it.

But Sheba entered a violent war in V°s which saw the triumph of its rival Qataban. This last establishes its empire and eclipsed Sheba of durably -500 with -110 front J. - C. During this domination, Sheba could vassalize a new emigrating Arab tribe, that of Amîr towards -200. With the progressive decline of Qataban, Sheba takes again its influence and in IIè front century J. - C. and imposes can with little its capacity. With disappearance in -120 of the kingdom of Ma' in, it is the whole of 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.

But the fall of Qataban starts a fight baited between Sheba and Hadramaout which launched out in an hegemonic policy at the beginning of Ier century a. J. - C. and crushes finally Sheba. This one must recognize its domination. It is only towards 100 that date the restoration of the Kingdom of Sheba. But this rectification will not resist new rising power, that of Himyar which establishes in its turn its Empire of 230 with 532 during which Sheba will sink little by little.

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