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ABĪYADAʻ YATHAʻ

THEMATIC DICTIONARY OF ANCIENT ARABIA,

(DIR. J. SCHIETTECATTE), 2023

King of Maʻīn (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 Abīyadaʻ Yathaʻ, king of Maʻīn, 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 (Mdy). 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 Waqahʻīl Riyām at Barāqish (the ancient Yathill). The pavement of the temple of ʿAthtar, built during the reign of Waqahʻīl Riyām, is dated to 750-408 cal-BCE (Fedele 2021), and the lower deposits of phase B of Nakrah temple, contemporaneous with the reign of Abīyadaʻ Yathaʻ (Y.92.B.A.21 + 30), are dated to 750-380 cal-BCE (Fedele 2021).

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

His rule was marked by building activity in the kingdom's two main cities, Qarnā(present-day Maʻīn) and Yathill (present-day Barāqish): namely, the construction of city-wall elements in both cities, the refurbishment of Nakrah temple and the construction of the temple of Wadd in Yathill (Maʻīn 1, Maʻīn 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, Abīyadaʻ Yathaʻ's son Waqahʻīl Riyām ruled with him on the throne (e.g., Bauer 5). Waqahʻīl Riyām was succeeded by Huffān Ṣadiq (e.g., as-Sawdā' 30) and llīyafaʻ Yafash (RES 2762, RES 2982) before the dynasty of Abīyadaʻ Yathaʻ came to an end (Schiettecatte & Arbach 2020: 248–255).

The dynasty of Abīyadaʻ Yathaʻ corresponds to the heyday of the kingdom of Maʻīn. The territory of the kingdom extended up the Jawf, incorporating the city of Nashshān, previously an autonomous city-state (as-Sawdā' 30). The kingdom
strengthened its alliance with the Hadramawt (Maʻīn 8) and initially pacified strained relations (RES 3022) with the kingdom of Saba' (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 Maʻīn (VIIIe-ler 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 Maʻīn, in S. Antonini & F.G. Fedele (eds) *Barāqish/Yathill (Yemen) 1986-2007. Volume 2: Extramural excavations in Area C*: 822-868. Oxford: Archaeopress.