Before Islam, Yemen was ruled by the Himyarites, a powerful kingdom that embraced Judaism. This episode explores the rise of Himyar, its capital Zafar, and the enigmatic figure of King Yusuf As'ar Yath'ar, known as Dhu Nuwas. We trace his campaign against the Christian community of Najran, the role of the Aksumite Empire, and the legend of the Martyrs of Najran that echoes in the Quran and in Byzantine chronicles. How did a Jewish kingdom emerge, thrive, and fall? What evidence do we have, from inscriptions to the Book of the Himyarites? We also revisit the story of Queen Bilqis and the possible Jewish roots of the Sabaean elite, and ask what this chapter tells us about religious pluralism in late antiquity. Join Lucas and Luna as they uncover a forgotten chapter of Jewish history in Arabia.
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