Axum's King Gadarat and the War for South Arabia

In this episode, we explore the reign of King Gadarat (GDRT), the Aksumite ruler who carved out an empire in South Arabia during the 3rd century CE. Using the Sabaean inscription from Ma'rib and the Monumentum Adulitanum, we trace his campaigns against the Sabaeans and Himyarites, the shifting alliances with local kingdoms, and how Gadarat's conquests established Axum as a major power in the Red Sea. We discuss the geopolitical context of the Roman-Sasanian rivalry and how Gadarat's expansion affected trade routes for frankincense and myrrh. Listeners will learn about the Sabaean king Sha'ir Awtar, the Himyarite confederation, and the archaeological evidence from the al-Uqlah inscription. We also touch on the legacy of Gadarat's campaigns for later Aksumite kings like Ezana and Kaleb, and the enduring importance of South Arabia for Axum's economy and prestige. #Gadarat #GDRT #Aksum #Axum #SouthArabia #Sabaean #Himyar #Sha'irAwtar #MonumentumAdulitanum #alUqlah #Ma'rib #RedSea #frankincense #myrrh #3rdCentury #History #FexingoHistory #AncientEmpires Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo