South Arabia in the Roman period from the first century BC to the sixth century AD

Abstract

The Arabian Peninsula is uniquely located at the crossroads of regional and global trade routes, land and Sea. Its location has become the global centre connecting the countries of the East and the West, and its residents have become a cultural link between the peoples of these countries. The Arabian Peninsula has also occupied a prominent position in producing aromatic materials such as incense and frankincense. The role of its residents in international trade was one of the leading roles in linking vital parts of the world to each other. Its residents were not only trade intermediaries but also partners in building human civilization and its development. The inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were provided with factors of stability and prosperity, and they flourished in various regions, including cities. Some metropolises reached the ranks of the civilizational countries that coincided with them. At that time, the Arabian Peninsula was the focus of attention on the political forces surrounding it. Its importance increased after the conquests of the East by Alexander the Great, as he realized from the beginning the importance of the Arabian Peninsula and the seas surrounding it to his empires. Then, the Ptolemies and Seleucids inherited Alexander's empire in the East and, with them, inherited his interest in the Arabian Peninsula. One of the manifestations of this interest was carrying out an organized movement of explorations of the coasts of the Arabian Peninsula with a desire to learn about it. Among the activities of these exploratory missions was that they recorded much information about the peoples and tribes of the Arabian Peninsula, and given the interest of the Ptolemies and the Seleucids in international trade and the desire to control its outlets. There was a long conflict between them that had a clear impact on the conditions of the Arabian Peninsula. This conflict continued between the forces that succeeded them in the region, such as the Parthians and, after them, the Sassanians in the East and the Romans in the West. They tried to impose their political control on different regions of the Arabian Peninsula to impose their economic control over the region. These events echoed in the Arabian Peninsula, which became an attraction centre for these global powers. It was going through one of the most prosperous periods of its history, and the political systems that emerged since the first half of the first millennium BC developed. Stable states with independent political entities were formed, especially in southern Arabia, such as the Ma'in, Saba, Qataban, Hadhramaut, and Himyar kingdoms. These kingdoms occupied a long period of southern Arabia's history. This study aims to analyze and explain: 1- The beginning of Roman interests in the region, their patterns and factors that shaped them. 2- The reasons for Gallus’ expedition against the Sabaeans of South Arabia, the reasons of its failure, and its consequences 3- The archaeological and literary evidence related to the pattern of Romans’ interest in the region after the failure of the Roman military intervention. 4- The impact of the emergence of Christianity on changing the pattern of Roman interests and their dynamics in South Arabia. 5- The various aspects of Roman intervention in the affairs of the Himyarite kings in South Arabia and its methods.