HADHRAMAUT

There is still disagreement about the period in which Hadhramaut arose [i]. Historians indicate that it arose between 1020 BCE and lasted until the 5th or 12th century BCE. Among its most important cities were Shabwa and Mayfa'a. Hadhramaut reached the height of its power in the 1st century BCE. However, it had many clashes with Sheba [ii] and fought several wars with the Himyarites [iii]. However, the internal instability led to its weakening and collapse in front of Sheba. Ultimately, it was annexed to the Himyarite Kingdom at the end of the 3rd century BCE and the beginning of the 4th century BCE.

Hadhramaut had a close relationship based on trade [iv] and commercial exchange with many countries such as Ma'in, India, and the Sumerians [v] in Iraq. The civilization’s distinguished location and economic resources bolstered the strength of these relations. Hadhramaut’s relationship [vi] with the Sabaeans [vii] was nuanced and complex; it was built on friendship, but soon turned into hostility and competition due to Hadhramaut's negative political and economic policies towards Saba. Hadhramaut’s relationship with the Himyarite state was characterized by intense hostility that resulted in a series of wars that ended with the eventual loss and collapse of Hadhramaut through its annexation to the Himyarite state.

Many of the monuments left by Hadhramaut are still present today [viii] and continue to attract public attention. The most important of which is the fortress of Qalt, which still controls the valley from the city of Hajar. Many temples are still present in Hadhramaut, the most notable of all is “Sun z Mishwar” which feature preserved pictures and inscriptions dating back to the third century BCE. In addition, many temples, castles, houses, and forts are still standing in Hadhramaut and its cities to this day, giving the city a tourist importance to Yemen that attracts tourists from all over the world.

Hadhramaut was built on the tribal gatherings of people. The first phase of the ruling [ix] system was characterized by the prince or ruler as chief of both religious and earthly powers. However, the system later turned into a full monarchy. The system then moved from the clerics’ possession into the political men’s ownership as a result of political and economic developments and Hadhramaut’s relationships with the surrounding kingdoms. The first to take this step-in leadership was King "Yad El", who was the first to obtain the title of king. Following him, King "Sadiq El" confirmed this transfer in the system.

Hadhramaut first appeared in the Great Wadi Hadhramaut [x] at the time of the establishment of the Qataban Kingdom [xi]. The civilization’s lands extended to include what is currently known as Mahra and the Dhofar region [xii], which is rich in frankincense trees in the east and at its greatest extent in the west. Hadhramaut and Qataban fought many battles but were allies of Sheba in its war against the Awsan Kingdom [xiii]. Hadhramaut battled against Qataban and won, which was followed by a fierce war with Sheba. Hadhramaut fought its last battle in the third century BCE before being subjugated to the Himyarite state.

Hadhramaut is still called the province of Hadhramaut in Yemen, in contrast to many civilizations that collapsed and disappeared beforehand. There are still many antiquities in the Hadhramaut regions, especially the capital [xiv], Shabwa, where many artifacts and statues were found in the city’s esteemed royal palace. In addition, Hadhramaut's relations with its neighbors prompted and fostered the emergence of foreign influence through trade, decoration, and the mixing of local arts with Greco-Roman techniques. This artistic rapprochement is evident in Shabwa, like other ancient cities in the region. Hadhramaut also distinguished itself by building a number of huge facilities and irrigation projects.

The people of Hadhramaut lived on agriculture and trade [xv]. Hadhramaut’s prominence was largely due to its geographical location, the yields of its affiliated areas, and the nature of its large valley, Wadi Hadhramaut. Wadi Hadhramaut is one of the most suitable regions of the Arabian Peninsula for settlement, and its vastness and the proximity of water to its surroundings, as well as the area’s clay soil, allowed its inhabitants to derive serious crops such as frankincense, aloe vera, and incense. Hadhramaut relied heavily on trading these products with the surrounding kingdoms as close as Ma’in, and as far away as India.