Minaeans
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Kingdom of Ma’in مملكة معين | |
---|---|
600 BCE–150 BCE[1][2] | |
Capital | Qarnawu |
Common languages | Minaean language |
Religion | Pre-Islamic Arabian religions |
Demonym(s) | Minaean(s) |
Government | Monarchy |
History | |
• Established | 600 BCE |
• Disestablished | 150 BCE[1][2] |
The Minaean people were the inhabitants of the kingdom of Ma'in (
The Minaean people were one of four ancient Yemeni groups mentioned by
History
Nothing is known about the early history of this north Yemeni kingdom. The region later to be known as Ma’īn first enters history at the time of the Sabaean mukarrib
Trade
The Minaeans, like some other Arabian and Yemenite kingdoms of the same period, were involved in the extremely lucrative spice trade, especially frankincense and myrrh.[3] Inscriptions found in Qanāwu mention a number of major caravan stations along the trading route, including Yathrib (Medina) and Gaza; there is also a brief account of how war between the Egyptians and Syrians interrupted the trade for a while.
The Minaeans had a different social structure to the rest of the Old South Arabians. Their king was the only one involved in lawmaking, along with a council of elders, who in Ma'īn represented the priesthood as well as families of high social class. The Minaeans were divided into groups of various sizes, led by a very high official called the kabīr, appointed once every two years, who was in charge of one or sometimes all of the trading posts. The reason for this difference in social structure is unknown.
Kings
The order of succession and the dates of individual Minaean kings is extremely uncertain; the following table presents the reconstruction of Kenneth A. Kitchen. It should however be pointed out that the reconstruction of Hermann von Wissmann deviates from this considerably, and is just as probable.[citation needed]
Name | (Established) date | Observations |
---|---|---|
'Ammyitha Nabat | Author of the first known Minaean royal inscription | |
Abyada I. | ||
Hufn Sadiq | ||
Ilyafa Yafush | ||
Abyada II. Yitha | ca. 343 BCE | |
Waqah'il Riyam | ||
Hufn | ||
Abkarib II. Sadiq | ||
Yitha'il Riyam | Vassal of Saba' | |
Tubba'karib | ||
Hayu | ||
Abyada III. Riyam | ||
Ilyafa Yitha | ||
Abyada IV. | ||
Ḫalkarib Sadiq | Built the Rasf Temple in Qarnāwu | |
Hufn Yitha | ||
Ilyafa Riyam | The first evidence of rule over the incense route | |
Haufi'athat | ||
Ilyafa Waqah | ||
Waqah'il Sadiq I. | First king with inscriptions from Dedan | |
Abkarib III. Yitha | At first coregent with his father | |
Waqah'il Sadiq II. | Coregent for a time with his predecessor | |
Ilyafa Yashur | ||
Waqah'il Nabat | Last king with inscriptions from Dedan | |
Hufn Riyam | ||
Yitha'il Sadiq | ||
Waqah'il Yitha | before 25 B.C. | Vassal of the Qatabānian king Shahr Yigal Yuhargib II. |
Ilyafa Yashur |
See also
- Ancient history of Yemen
- Ancient South Arabian art
- Yemen
- Sabaean Kingdom
- Qataban
- Minaean language
Notes
- ^ This date is in accordance with the 'Long Chronology'
References
Bibliography
- Alessandro de Maigret. Arabia Felix, translated Rebecca Thompson. London: Stacey International, 2002. ISBN 1-900988-07-0
- ISBN 0-19-922237-1.
- Andrey Korotayev. Pre-Islamic Yemen. Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, 1996. ISBN 3-447-03679-6.
- Mounir Arbach: Le madhabien: lexique, onomastique et grammaire d'une langue de l'Arabie méridionale préislamique. Vol. 4: Réexamen de la chronologie des rois de Ma'in d'après les nouvelles donnéées. Aix-en-Provence, 1993
- Kenneth A. Kitchen: The World of Ancient Arabia Series. Documentation for Ancient Arabia. Part I. Chronological Framework & Historical Sources. Liverpool, 1994
- Jacqueline Pirenne: Paléographie des Inscriptions sud-arabes, Vol. I. (Verhandelingen van de Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België. Klasse der Letteren. Verhandeling Nr. 26) Brussels, 1956
- ISBN 3-11-006876-1, pp. 308–544