Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ

King of Maʿīn (South Arabia), c. 5th century BCE. His reign marked the beginning of the kingdom’s golden age with major construction projects and intense trade relations with Egypt, the Levant and Assyria.

The reign of Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ, king of Maʿīn, can be dated by synchronism with external events and by radiocarbon dating (Schiettecatte & Arbach 2020: 248–255; 2021: 846–847).

The inscription RES 3022, dated to his reign, reports a revolt of Egypt against the Medes (Mḏy). The dating of this event remains debated — hypotheses oscillate between the 5th and 2nd cent. BCE —, but the most probable hypothesis is the second half of the 5th cent. BCE (see Lemaire 1996, 1997, 2010; Multoff 2019). Indeed, this date corresponds to the radiocarbon dating of the monumental constructions attributed to this ruler and his successor Waqahʾīl Riyām at Barāqish (the ancient Yathill). The pavement of the temple of ʿAthtar, built during the reign of Waqahʾīl Riyām, is dated to 750-408 cal-BCE (Fedele 2021), and the lower deposits of phase B of Nakraḥ temple, contemporaneous with the reign of Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ (Y.92.B.A.21 + 30), are dated to 750-380 cal-BCE (Fedele 2021).

Before ruling alone, Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ first reigned in association with his predecessor Ilīyafaʿ Yathaʿ (Maʿīn 13). The two rulers do not seem to be related by any kinship ties (Schiettecatte & Arbach 2020: 252). The reign of Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ thus inaugurated a new Minaean dynasty.

His rule was marked by building activity in the kingdom’s two main cities, Qarnā (present-day Maʿīn) and Yathill (present-day Barāqish): namely, the construction of city-wall elements in both cities, the refurbishment of Nakraḥ temple and the construction of the temple of Wadd in Yathill (Maʿīn 1, Maʿīn 8, RES 2959, RES 3022, etc.). The financing of this work, taken over by the dominant clans of the kingdom, was a way to pay taxes levied on the lucrative aromatics trade with Egypt, Assyria and Trans-Euphrates.

At the end of his reign, Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ’s son Waqahʾīl Riyām ruled with him on the throne (e.g., Bauer 5). Waqahʾīl Riyām was succeeded by Ḥuffān Ṣadiq (e.g., as-Sawdāʾ 30) and Ilīyafaʿ Yafash (RES 2762, RES 2982) before the dynasty of Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ came to an end (Schiettecatte & Arbach 2020: 248–255).

The dynasty of Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ corresponds to the heyday of the kingdom of Maʿīn. The territory of the kingdom extended up the Jawf, incorporating the city of Nashshān, previously an autonomous city-state (as-Sawdāʾ 30). The kingdom strengthened its alliance with the Ḥaḍramawt (Maʿīn 8) and initially pacified strained relations (RES 3022) with the kingdom of Sabaʾ (Shaqab 8, Shaqab 18).

Mounir Arbach

References and suggested reading

• Fedele, F. 2021. Radiocarbon Determinations 1987-2006: Corings, Temples A and B, Area D. A Survey and Reappraisal, in S. Antonini & F.G. Fedele (eds) Barāqish/Yathill (Yemen) 1986-2007. Vol. 1: Excavations of Temple B and related research restoration. Scavi del Tempio B e ricerche e restauri connessi: 355–367. Oxford: Archaeopress Archaeology.
• Lemaire, A. 1996. Histoire du Proche-Orient et chronologie sudarabique avant Alexandre, in Ch. Robin & I. Gajda (eds), Arabia Antiqua. Early Origins of South Arabian States: 35–48. Rome: ISMEO.
• Lemaire, A. 1997. Les Minéens et la Transeuphratène à l’époque perse: une première approche. Transeuphratène 13: 123–139.
• Lemaire, A. 2010. Chronologie sabéenne et minéenne et histoire du Proche-Orient. Orientalia 79(3): 379–389.
• Maigret A. de & Ch. Robin 1993. Le temple de Nakraḥ à Yathill (aujourd’hui Barāqish), Yémen. Résultats des deux premières campagnes de fouilles de la Mission italienne. CRAI 1993: 427–496.
• Multhoff, A. 2019. Merchant and Marauder. The Adventures of a Sabaean Clansman. AAE 30(2): 1–24.
• Schiettecatte, J. & M. Arbach. 2020. La chronologie du royaume de Maʿīn (VIIIe-Ier s. av. J.-C.), in I. Zaytsev (ed.) Arabian antiquities. Studies Dedicated to Alexander Sedov on the Occasion of His Seventieth Birthday: 233–284. Moscow, Oriental Literature Publisher.
• Schiettecatte, J. & M. Arbach. 2021. Les inscriptions de Barāqish: apport à la connaissance de l’antique cité de Yathill et du royaume de Maʿīn, in S. Antonini & F.G. Fedele (eds) Barāqish/Yathill (Yemen) 1986-2007. Volume 2: Extramural excavations in Area C: 822–868. Oxford: Archaeopress.

_{Alternate spellings: Abīyadaʿ Yathaʿ, Abīyadaʿ Yaṯaʿ, Abiyadaʿ Yathaʿ, Abiyada Yatha, ʾbydʿ Yṯʿ}