List of rulers of Saba and Himyar

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This is a list of rulers of Saba' and Himyar , ancient Arab kingdoms which are now part of present-day Yemen. The kingdom of Saba' became part of the Himyarite Kingdom in the late 3rd century CE. [1]

Contents

The title Mukarrib (Old South Arabian: 𐩣𐩫𐩧𐩨, romanized:mkrb) was used by the rulers of Saba' along the title Malik (Old South Arabian: 𐩣𐩡𐩫, romanized:mlk). The title of Mukarrib might have been used as a formal title for the head of a commonwealth of different šaʿb (community) groups until it eventually disappeared by the start of the first millennium AD. On the other hand, Malik was used as a title for the head of a šaʿb with various legal obligations. Later, the title of Malik transformed to imply territorial rule. [2] After the fall of Dhu Nuwas around 530 CE to the Aksumite Empire, [3] Yemen was open for foreign domination by the Aksumites and later the Sasanian Empire, both of whom installed local vassal rulers over the Yemeni people. [4] [5] [6]

Mukarribs of Saba' (1000–620 BCE)

MukarribReignedNotes
1Yatha' 'Amr Bayincirca 1000–950 BC
2Yada'il Bayin
3Samah'ali Yanuf
4Yatha' 'Amar Watar
5Yakrib Malek Dzarah
6Yakrib Malik Watar
7Samah'ali Yanuf II
8Yada'il Bayin II
9Yatha' 'Amar Watar IIHe was a contemporary of Sargon II.
10Yada' Ab
11Yada'il Bayin III
12Yakrib Malik Watar II
13Yatha' 'Amar Bayin II
14Karib'il WatarHe was a contemporary with Sennacherib. Not to be confused with the later king Karib'il Watar.
15Yada' Ab II
16Akh Karib
17Samah'ali Watar
18 Yada'il Dharih Son of Samah'ali Watar (17).
19 Samah'ali Yanuf III Son of Yada'il Dharih (18).
20Yatha' 'Amar Watar IIISon of Yada'il Dharih (18) and the brother of Samah'ali Yanuf III (19).
21Yada'il Bayin IVSon of Yatha' 'Amar Watar III (20).
22Yada'il WatarSon of Yatha' 'Amar Watar III (20) and is the brother of Yada'il Bayin IV (21).
23Dhamar Ali DharihSon of Yada'il Bayin IV (21).
24Yatha' 'Amar Watar IVSon of Samah'ali Yanuf III (19).
25 Karib'il Bayin Son of Yatha' 'Amar Watar IV (24).
26Samah'ali Yanuf IVSon of Yatha' 'Amar Watar IV (24) and brother of Karabil Bayin (25).
27Dhamar Ali WatarSon of Samah'ali Yanuf IV (26).
28Samah'ali Yanuf VSon of Dhamar Ali Watar (27).
29Yatha' 'Amar Bayin IIISon of Samah'ali Yanuf V (28).
30Yakrib Malik Watar III
31Dhamar Ali YanufSon of Yakrib Malik Watar III (30).

Kings of Saba'

KingReignedNotes
32 Karib'il Watar II 620–600 BCSon of (31).
33Sumuh'ali Dharih600–580 BCSon of (32).
34Karib'il Watar III580–570 BCSon of (33).
35Ilīsharaḥ I570–560 BCSon of (33).
36Yada'il Bayin V560–540 BCSon of (34).
37Yakrib Malik Watar IV540–520 BCSon of (36).
38Yatha' Amar Bayin IV520–500 BCSon of (37).
39Karib'il Watar IV500–480 BCSon of (38).
40Sumuh'ali Yanuf VI480–460 BCSon of (39).
41Yada'il Bayin VISon of (39).
42Yatha' 'Amar Watar VSon of (39).
43Ilsharih II460–445 BCSon of 41
44Zamir Ali Bayin I445–430 BCSon of 41
45Yada'il Watar II430–410 BCSon of 44
46Zamir Ali Bayin II410–390 BCSon of 45
47Samah'ali Yanuf VIISon of (46)
48Karib'il Watar V390–370 BCUnknown parentage, probably the son of (46)
—Unknown370–350 BCA period of time without any inscriptions dedicated to a ruler.
49Karib Yuhan'im350–330 BCSon of an uncertain "Ham 'Athat"
50Karib'il Watar VI330–310 BCSon of (49)
51Wahhab Shamsam/Al-Yahiz310–290 BCSon of an unspecified "Halik 'Amar" although he has also been identified as the son of another unspecified personality named "Saraw"
52Anmar Yuha'min I290–270 BCSon of (51)
53Dhamar Ali Dharih II270–250 BCSon of (52)
54Nasha'karib Yuha'min250–230 BCSon of (53)
—Unknown230–200 BCA period of the time without any inscriptions dedicated to a ruler.
55Nasir Yuhan'em200–180 BC
56Dhamar Ali Bayin III
57Wahhab/Al-Yahiz II180–160 BC
58Karib'il Watar Yuhan'im160–145 BCSon of (57).
59Anmar Yuha'min IISon of (57).
60Yarim 'Aymin145–115 BCSon of an unspecified "Awsalat Rafshan" and he usurped the throne with his son
61Alhan NahfanSon of (60) who usurped the throne alongside his father.
62Far'am Yanhab130–125 BCRegained the legitimate throne of Saba'.

Kings of Saba' & Dhu Raydan

KingReignedNotes
63 Sha'ram Awtar Son of (61).
64 Ilisharih Yahdhib Son of (62). He was probably Strabo's "Ilasarus". Contemporary with Sha'ram Awtar, see (63).
65Yazil BayinSon of (62). He allied with his brother see (64) against Sha'ram Awtar (63).
67Hayu Athtar Yazi'
68Karib'il Watar Yuhan'im IISon of (56). Probably the king Charibael of the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea , said to have dominion over the major ports of Azania (the Swahili coast) through a vassal located at Saba'.
69Watar Yuha'minSon of (64).
70Dhamar Ali Dharih IIISon of (68).
71Nasha'karib Yuha'min Yuhar'ibSon of (64).
72Karib'il Bayin IISon of (68).
73Yasir Yuhasdiq
74Sa'd Shams 'AsriSon of (64).
75Murthid Yuhahm'idSon of (74).
76 Dhamar Ali Yahbur 135–175Son of 73. His statue made by the Greek sculptors is well preserved and on display at the National Museum of Yemen. [7]
77 Tha'ran Ya'ub Yuhan'im Son of (76). Has a statue preserved in the National Museum of Yemen.
78Dhamar Ali Yahbur IISon of (77).
79Shamdar Yuhan'im
80Amdan Bayin Yuhaqbiz
81Hutar Athat Yafish
82Karab Athat Yuhaqbiz
83Shahar Aymin
84Rabb Shams Nimran
85Al-Izz Nawfan Yuhasd'iq
86Sa'd Um Nimran
87Yasir Yuhan'im

Kings of Saba' & Dhu Raydan & Hadhramaut & Yamnat (2nd Himyarite Kingdom)

KingReignedNotes
88 Shammar Yahr'ish AD  275–300Son of 87
89Yarim YuharhibSon of 88
90Yasir Yuhan'im IIISon of 88
91Tharin Ayfi'Son of 90
92Dhara'amar Ayman ISon of 90
93Karabil Watar Yuhan'em III
94Tharin YakribSon of 88
95 Dhamar Ali Yahbur II 321–324Son of 94
96 Tharan Yuhanim 324–375Son of 95

King of Saba', Dhu Raydan, Hadramawt, Yamnat and their Arabs, on Tawdum (the high plateau) and Tihamat

This period of time is most famously featured in Arabian legends. This is also the last period of native Yemeni rule.

KingReignedNotes
97 Malkikarib Yuhamin 375–400Son of (96). He is the first king to officially convert to Judaism and remove previous polytheistic invocations from records and inscriptions. He also replaced the Great Temple of the pagan god Almaqah with a mikrāb for Jewish organization. Later tradition ascribes the conversion to Judaism to his son, Abu Karib.
98 Abu Karib As'ad 390–440Son of (97). Judaism was made the state religion during his rule. Some Arab traditions relate that he was the first ruler to put a covering over the Kaaba during his attempted invasion of Mecca.
99 Hassan Yuha'min 440–450Son of (98). He shared kingship with his brother Sharhabil Yafar for a while. [8]
100 Sharhabil Yafar 450–465Son of (98). Known as 'Amr in the Arabian folklore and traditions.
101 Sharhabil Yakkuf 465–480He is believed to have started a new dynasty, as his patronymic is not mentioned in any inscription. Sharhabil Yakkuf is also featured in Ethiopian folklore as being a king who accepted Judaism and persecuted the Christians living in Arabia.
102 Lakhni'ah Yanuf 480–502He is the son of (101) and did start off his political career by sharing the royal power with his father and other two brothers, Abu Shamir Nawaf and Ma'dikarib Yun'im. Some inscriptions also cite him as being from the Dhu Hasbah/Dhu Asbah tribe.
103 Marthad'ilan Yu'nim 502–504He is the son of (102) and helped to build a synagogue for the local Jewish community, as well as repaired a local place of worship as stated in Inscription YM 1200.
104 Marthad'ilan Yanuf 504–515A Christian, he engaged in diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of Aksum.
105 Ma'dikarib Ya'fur 515–517He was appointed as a king by the Aksumite Empire. [9] In the Arabian folklore, Ma'dikarib Ya'fur does not exist, and is instead replaced by an unknown Dhu Shanatir.
106 Dhu Nuwas 517–530The last of the native Himyarite kings, he rose to power in 517 after assassinating (104). His real name was Yusuf As'ar Yathar and his father was an unknown Sharhabil, thought to have been Sharhabil Yakkuf (101). He was known for his persecutions of Christians. He was killed in the year 530 during the Aksumite conquest of Yemen by King Kaleb.

Aksumite rulers of Saba' and Himyar

After the Aksumites successfully invaded and subsequently took control of Yemen, they appointed a native Christian as the vassal ruler of Saba' and Himyar. However, later on actual Abyssinians would rule Saba' and Himyar temporarily until the Sasanian Empire conquered Yemen under request from the native Yemenis.

KingReignedNotes
107 Sumyafa Ashwa 530–535A native from Himyar who had converted to Christianity, Sumyafa Ashwa was appointed by Kaleb as the ruler of Saba' and Himyar. He was deposed and overthrown in 535 by Abraha, who usurped the throne from him.
108 Abraha 535–570A usurper to the throne, he deposed Sumyafa Ashwa by force and imprisoned him. He also turned against Kaleb, but they later reconciled and he was allowed to keep his throne. He is best known for his attempted invasion of Mecca, a famous story in Islamic literature and exegesis.
109 Yaksum ibn Abraha 570–571Son of Abraha, he ruled for no more than one year, as he ascended the throne in 570, but died the following year.
110 Masruq ibn Abraha 571–572Son of Abraha and the brother of Yaksum. After his brother's death, he took the throne. During this time period, the native Yemenis revolted against him and later on, they were assisted by forces from the Persian Sasanian Empire. Masruq was ultimately killed in the attack by the invading Persian army, ending Aksumite rule over Himyar.

Vassal rulers of the Sasanian Empire

KingReignedNotes
111 Ma'adi Yakrib ibn Abi Murrah 572–574Appointed as a vassal king by the Sasanian Empire. He ruled for two years until he was stabbed to death by Abyssinian assailants whom he had hired as his servants. After his death, his son Ma'dikarib was made a temporary ruler of Yemen.

References

  1. ↑ Radner, Karen; Moeller, Nadine; Potts, Daniel T. (2023). The Oxford history of the ancient Near East. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-068766-3.
  2. ↑ Beeston, A. F. L. (1972). "Kingship in Ancient South Arabia". Journal of the Economic and Social History of the Orient. 15 (3): 256–268. doi:10.2307/3596067. ISSN   0022-4995.
  3. ↑ "DASI: Digital Archive for the Study of pre-islamic arabian Inscriptions: Epigraph details". dasi.cnr.it. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
  4. ↑ Mubarakpuri, Saifur Rahman (2008). The Sealed Nectar: Biography of the Noble Prophet. Dar-us-Salam Publications. ISBN   978-9960899558.
  5. ↑ Bowersock, Glen Warren (2013). The throne of Adulis: Red Sea wars on the eve of Islam. Emblems of antiquity. Oxford New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-973932-5.
  6. ↑ Zakeri, Mohsen (1995). Sasanid soldiers in early muslim society: the origins of 'Ayyaran and Futuwwa. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz. ISBN   978-3-447-03652-8.
  7. ↑ "DASI: Digital Archive for the Study of pre-islamic arabian -RES 4708 A)". dasi.cnr.it. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  8. ↑ The History of Al-Tabari: The Sasanids, the Lakhmids, and Yemen. SUNY Press. p. 184-186. ISBN 9780791443569.
  9. ↑ Bowersock, G. W. (2013-04-01). The Throne of Adulis: Red Sea Wars on the Eve of Islam. Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0-19-933384-4.
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