Sheba

Quick Facts: Who was Sheba?

Subject:

Sheba

Known for:

Ancient South Arabian kingdom, renowned for its trade and civilization in modern Yemen.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

Sheba, or Saba, was an ancient South Arabian kingdom that existed in Yemen before 275 CE. It likely began its existence between c. 1000 BCE and c. 800 BCE. Its inhabitants were the Sabaeans, who, as a people, were indissociable from the kingdom itself for much of the 1st millennium BCE. Modern historians agree that the heartland of the Sabaean civilization was located in the region around Marib and Sirwah. In some periods, they expanded to much of modern Yemen and even parts of the Horn of Africa, particularly Eritrea and Ethiopia.

Career & Major Achievements

The kingdom's native language was Sabaic, which was a variety of Old South Arabian. Among South Arabians and Abyssinians, Sheba's name carried prestige, as it was widely considered to be the birthplace of South Arabian civilization as a whole. The first Sabaean kingdom lasted from the 8th century BCE to the 1st century BCE: this kingdom can be divided into the "mukarrib" period, where it reigned supreme over all of South Arabia; and the "kingly" period, a long period of decline to the neighbouring kingdoms of Ma'in, Hadhramaut, and Qataban, ultimately ending when a newer neighbour, Himyar, annexed them. Sheba was originally confined to the region of Marib (its capital city) and its surroundings. At its height, it encompassed much of the southwestern parts of the Arabian Peninsula before eventually declining to the regions of Marib.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

However, it re-emerged from the 1st to 3rd centuries CE. During this time, a secondary capital was founded at Sanaa, which is also the capital city of modern Yemen. Around 275 CE, the Sabaean civilization came to a permanent end in the aftermath of another Himyarite annexation. The Sabaeans, like the other South Arabian kingdoms of their time, took part in the extremely lucrative spice trade, especially including frankincense and myrrh. They left behind many inscriptions in the monumental Ancient South Arabian script, as well as numerous documents in the related cursive Zabūr script.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Sheba

True or False: “The Hebrew Bible's account of the Queen of Sheba's visit to King Solomon is considered a factual historical record by modern scholars.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): Modern scholarship considers the biblical account regarding the Queen of Sheba to be legendary and lacks corroborating evidence from early epigraphic sources.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Bi Sheng — Historical peer (Born in 1000) (1000): Pioneering Chinese inventor of the world's first movable type printing system.
• Bjarni Herjólfsson — Historical peer (Died in 1000) (1000): Icelandic explorer credited with the first European sighting of the mainland Americas in 986.
• Shehu Shagari — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: First democratically elected President of Nigeria (1979-1983)
• Sheikh Hamdullah — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Master calligrapher of the Ottoman Empire, renowned for his skill in Islamic scripts.
• Sheikh Hasina — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Longest-serving female head of government in Bangladesh's history.
• Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — Chrono-Wiki Encyclopedia Entry: Founding President of Bangladesh and leading figure in Bengali nationalism.

Frequently Asked Questions about Sheba