Yemen

History

Main article: History of Yemen

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Yemen was one of the oldest centres of civilization in the Near East. Between the 9th century BC and the 6th century AD, it was part of the Minaean, Sabaean, Himyarite, Qatabanian, Hadhramawtian, and Awsanian kingdoms, which controlled the lucrative spice trade. It was known to the Romans as "Arabia Felix" ("Happy Arabia") because of the riches its trade generated; Augustus Caesar attempted to annex it, but the expedition failed, but Persian King of Kings were more successful and Yemen became a Persian province in 597/8 under a Persian satrap. In the 7th century, Islamic caliphs began to exert control over the area. After this caliphate broke up, the former north Yemen came under control of Imams of various dynasties usually of the Zaidi sect, who established a theocratic political structure that survived until modern times. (Imam is a religious term. The Shiites apply it to the prophet Muhammad's son-in-law Ali, his sons Hassan and Hussein, and subsequent lineal descendants, whom they consider to have been divinely ordained unclassified successors of the prophet.)

Related Topics:
Minaean - Sabaean - Himyarite - Qataban - Hadhramawt - Awsan - Romans - Augustus Caesar - Persian - King of Kings - Satrap - 7th century - Caliph - Imams - Zaidi - Shiites

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Egyptian Sunni caliphs occupied much of north Yemen throughout the 11th century. By the 16th century and again in the 19th century, north Yemen was part of the Ottoman Empire, and in some periods its Imams exerted control over south Yemen.

Related Topics:
Sunni - 16th century - 19th century - Ottoman Empire

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