The Caliph's deputy ran the affairs of one of Yemen's three Makhalifs: Mikhlaf Sana'a, Mikhlaf al-Janad and Mikhlaf Hadhramawt.
Ko je bil kralj Yousef Athar (ali Dhu Nuwas - " Yūsuf Dhū Nuwās"), zadnji kralj Himyaritov, na oblasti, je bila Sana tudi glavno mesto etiopskih podkraljev.