SABAEAN

The Sabaean Kingdom rose to prominence by taking control of the Incense Route [i] from the Minaeans in the 8th century BCE. The kingdom reached the peak of its power in the 7th century BCE under Karib’il Watar I [ii], ruling all the region from Najrān [iii] to Bāb al-Mandab [iv]. With its power, great cities, temples, and other massive constructs were erected throughout Saba. The Sabaean Kingdom began declining, however, when their monopoly over the Incense Route [v] became useless due to the Ptolemaic Dynasty’s [vi] change of favoring trade by water over land [vii]. Eventually, the kingdom was conquered by the Himyarites [viii] in 275 CE.

Due to the financial potential of the Incense Route, the Sabaeans constantly conflicted with neighboring kingdoms. For instance, in order to strengthen their control over trade routes, the Sabaeans participated in skirmishes and caravan attacks [ix] against the Minaeans from the 8th to 2nd century BCE. Qataban [x] originally maintained an allyship with Saba, but the kingdom’s expansionist style caused it to become a fierce rival [xi]. Similarly, the Hadhramaut Kingdom’s [xii] friendly relations with Saba warped into hostility and competition due to personal interests. During the 2nd century CE, Saba and Hadhramaut were continuously at war [xiii]. The Himyarites eventually conquered Saba around 280 CE [xiv].

Even after falling about 1,700 years ago, traces of the Sabaean Kingdom still remain. For instance, the remnants of Sabaean monuments and artifacts can be seen through different sites and exhibits. Furthermore, languages spoken today in the Horn of Africa such as Amharic and Tigrinya, utilize a script derived from the Sabaeans [xv]. The Queen of Sheba, a rumored ruler of the Sabaeans, appears in numerous prominent works today. Stories revolving around the Queen of Sheba can be found in the Torah, Bible, Quran, Kebra Nagast, and Arabic legends. She is also credited as the founder of the Solomonic Dynasty of Ethiopia.

Also recognized as the “king of Ma’rib” and the “king of Saba”, the mukarrib [xvi] possessed the role of leading the Sabaean Kingdom. Aside from acting as a king, the mukarrib maintained the responsibility of commissioning impressive constructions and leading wars [xvii]. The mukarrib also acted as a high priest [xviii] who presided over religious festivals and supervised the operations of temples. Despite having a king that possessed supreme power, a legislature of representatives and council members [xix] also ruled over the kingdom. The heads of these powerful feudal families shared the king’s right to build castles [xx]. Gender equality also allowed women to rule Saba.

The Sabaean Kingdom was one of the greatest nations in antiquity. Prevailing for at least 14 centuries [xxi], the kingdom’s power was acknowledged by all nations throughout the world. Unsurprisingly, this wealthy kingdom ran into conflicts with other nations. Nonetheless, Saba defeated many of its rivals and became the controlling power of all Southern Arabia in the 3rd century [xxii]. However, despite its successful conquests, the kingdom declined when land trade in the Incense Route was replaced by ship trade. Consequently, Saba was conquered by Himyarites in 275 CE, and the collapse of the Mar’ib dam in 575 CE erased its history.

The construction of the Ma’rib Dam was a crucial feat in the Sabaean Kingdom. Built by the mukarrib, Yatha’ Amar Watta I (760 - 740 BCE), the Ma’rib Dam is the oldest known dam in history. The irrigation from this dam was so successful that Saba became recognized as a “green country” by numerous ancient historians [xxiii]. Controlling the frankincense and myrrh within the Incense Routes added to the Sabaeans’ prestige. Sabaeans have also created the world’s first “skyscrapers”. These tall structures are still standing in Anbar and Shibam today [xxiv]. Interestingly, unlike most nations at the time, Sabaean women generally experienced gender equality.

The Sabaean Kingdom gained immense profits from serving as the central distribution center of the Incense Route. The Incense Route [xxv] was a trade network that extended over two thousand kilometers. The Sabaeans provided shipments of silk from China, produce from South Africa, treasures from India, and numerous other luxury goods ]xxvi]. The Sabaeans also relied on agriculture to uphold their economy. From their advanced irrigation systems, crops like dates, barley, grapes, millet, wheat, aromatic trees, and assorted fruits were harvested twice a year. Aromatic trees were a prized crop as they became frankincense and myrrh, a valuable export in the Incense Route.