Yemen's Sabaean Queens and the Incense Trade

Before the Ottoman sieges and the modern crisis, Yemen was a global economic powerhouse driven by the incense trade. This episode explores the ancient Kingdom of Saba, centered at Marib, where the legendary Queen of Sheba likely ruled over a network of temple cities and water engineering marvels. We examine how frankincense and myrrh fueled Mediterranean economies, the political structure of the Himyarite unification, and the archaeological evidence from sites like Qarnawu and Bar'an. Lucas and Luna discuss the real history behind the Biblical and Quranic narratives, the role of sayyid families in preserving oral traditions, and how the collapse of the dam system reshaped the region’s social fabric. We also look at the recent discoveries of pre-Islamic inscriptions that reveal a complex polytheistic society before the spread of monotheism. From the bustling port of Muza to the highland sanctuaries of Almaqah, this is the story of a civilization that connected Africa, Arabia, and the Mediterranean through scent and stone.

#Sabaean #KingdomOfSheba #MaribDam #FrankincenseTrade #Himyar #YemenHistory #AncientArabia #Almaqah #Qarnawu #IncenseRoute #BilqisLegend #SouthArabianEpigraphy #MuzaPort #Bar'anTemple #PreIslamicYemen #DesertArchitecture #FexingoHistory #MiddleEastHistory

Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo