Himyat

Himyat, also known as the Himyarite Kingdom, refers to a historic polity in the southern Arabian Peninsula that flourished roughly from 110 BCE to 525 CE. Emerging from the consolidation of several South Arabian-speaking states, it grew to be the dominant power in what is now Yemen. The kingdom’s heartland lay in the highland and coastal zones of western Yemen, and its capital or major seats of power shifted over time, with centers such as Zafar associated with its early period. From these bases, Himyarite rulers controlled important trade routes along the Red Sea and inland caravan networks that linked incense, spice, and other goods with regional markets.

Language and culture in Himyarat centered on a form of Old South Arabian known as Himyaritic, written in the South Arabian script. The kingdom left numerous inscriptions and royal genealogies, reflecting a society that drew on earlier South Arabian traditions while projecting its own dynastic legitimacy.

Religion in the Himyarite period was diverse and changed over time. Early practices were polytheistic, but from the 4th to 6th centuries some rulers governed as Jews, and Christian communities were present in the broader region. In the 7th century, Islam began to spread in Yemen, and the area gradually became part of the early Islamic world.

Decline and legacy: In 525 CE, the kingdom faced a pivotal intervention by the Christian Aksumite Empire after a Jewish-led persecution of Christians in Najran, leading to military defeat and decline. Over the following decades, control in the region shifted toward Islamic polities. The Himyarite period left a lasting linguistic, architectural, and epigraphic legacy that informed later Yemeni states and the study of South Arabian history.