Wahabʾīl Yaḥuz

Prince of the tribe of Radmān-and-Khawlān, from the lineage of Maʿāhir-and-Khawlān, Wahabʾīl Yaḥuz (Sab. Whbʾl Yḥz ) ascended the throne of Sabaʾ in ca. 155-159 CE amidst a struggle between Ḥimyar and the rulers of Sabaean tribes.

Wahabʾīl Yaḥuz’s political career developed during a period of widespread conflict between the kingdoms of South Arabia (Robin 1992, Bron 2002, Arbach et al. 2021).

Wahabʾīl Yaḥuz came from the lineage of Maʿāhir-and-dhū-Khawlān, and was prince of the tribe of Radmān-and-Khawlān (BaBa al-Ḥadd 13, MAFRAY-ad-Dimn 1). In the city of Waʿlān (now al-Miʿsāl), the centre of the tribal principality, he undertook repair work on a well following a conflict dated to 146-147 CE (MAFRAY-Sāriʿ 6).

The war between the South Arabian kingdoms continued until the mid-150s (MAFRAY-al-Ḥijla 1) when peace was negotiated by a prince of Hamdān, Yarīm Aymān (CIH 315) in ca. 155-159 CE. Thereafter, the leadership of Saʿdshamsum Asraʿ and his son Marthadum Yuhaḥmid over Sabaʾ and Ḥimyar was contested by both Dhamarʿalī Yuhabirr dhū-Raydān and a coalition uniting the tribes of Ḥumlān, Radmān, Yarsum, Khawlān, and Ghaymān, headed by Wahabʾīl Yaḥūz, who claimed the title of king of Sabaʾ (Gl 1228, Gar AION 1976-III, CIH 203+182+183, CIH 220, Ja 561 bis). The conflict took place before 159 CE (Al-Ḥadāʾ 2017-1, Arbach et al. 2021).

The association of the tribes of Radmān-and-Khawlān with Ḥumlān, Yarsum and Ghaymān (Gl 1228, CIH 220), is a strong argument to identify Wahabʾīl Yaḥūz prince of Radmān-and-Khawlān, attested in 146 CE, with Wahabʾīl Yaḥūz king of Sabaʾ (Bron 2002, Arbach, Schiettecatte 2017, 2021).

Two presumably adopted sons succeeded him: Anmār Yuhaʾmin and then Karibʾīl Watār Yuhanʿīm.

Mounir Arbach

References and suggested reading

• Arbach, M. & J. Schiettecatte 2017. Inscriptions sabéennes du Jabal Riyām (Yémen) et nouvel éclairage sur les rois de Sabaʾ au II^e siècle de l’ère chrétienne. Sem. Clas. 10: 179–193. DOI: 10.1484/J.SEC.5.114953.
• Arbach, M. , J. Schiettecatte & M. al-Hajj 2021. The kingdom of Sabaʾ in the second century CE — A reassessment, in C. Darles, L. Khalidi & M. Arbach (eds) Contacts between South Arabia and the Horn of Africa from the Bronze Age to Islam: 69–84. Toulouse: PUM.
• Bron, F. 2002. La crise du royaume de Sabaʾ au II^e siècle de notre ère. Orientalia 71–4: 417–23.
• Robin, C.J. 1992. Guerre et épidémie dans les royaumes d’Arabie du Sud d’après une inscription datée (II^e siècle de l’ère chrétienne). CRAI 1992: 215–234.

_{Alternate spellings: Wahab’īl Yaḥuzz, Wahabʾîl Yahuzz, Wahabʾil Yahuzz, Wahab’il Yahuzz, Whbʾl Yḥz}