An Analysis of a New Musnad Inscription Related to Wars of Sabaʾ and dhū-Raydān Kings Found in Rayda City

Abstract

This research paper aimed to study the linguistic and historical connotations contained in the inscription (Al-Qayli-Rayda 1), which is an unpublished musnad inscription, representing a memorial text of the inscriptions of wars and military campaigns originating from the city of Rayda which is currently in the village of Bayt al-Qufāf, Ḫarif district, ʿAmrān, Yemen. To achieve this objective, the descriptive comparative analytical method was used. The analysis revealed that the events stated in the inscription date back to the era of the kings of Sabaʾ and  dhū-Raydān (circa 3rd century AD). The inscriptions bnw S¹ʾrn w-Mḥylm indicate that there were a number of battles which can generally be divided into two campaigns. The first was launched by Rubʿ Rayda of Bakīl on the Bedouins, who had conquered ʿrn Baraṭ and some of the surrounding areas and valleys, and whose danger began to reach the eastern boundaries of Ḥas²id and Bakīl tribes. In the second campaign, the Rubʿ Rayda and other ʾArbāʿ of Bakīl under the command of a Kabīr Aqyānum and Ibn Marthadum, along with the king of Sabaʾ and  dhū-Raydān (their names can be found in the left broken part of the inscription) launched the campaign, and headed to the​​ S¹uhrat area to fight the ʾAshā‘ir tribe and its leader Nabat. The inscription is a new addition to Yemen's political history before Islam. It includes the areas on which the campaigns were launched and the methods and techniques used during the battles. Keywords: musnad inscription, Ridah city, war inscriptions, the era of Sheba and thi Ridan.