Axum's King Kaleb and the Invasion of Himyar

In Episode 58 of The Kingdom of Axum: Rome's Forgotten African Rival, Lucas and Luna dive into one of the most dramatic episodes in late antique geopolitics: King Kaleb's invasion of Himyar in the 520s AD. Spurred by the persecution of Christians in South Arabia, Kaleb launched a massive naval expedition from Adulis, crossed the Red Sea, and toppled the Jewish king Dhu Nuwas. But the aftermath was messy—Axum's victory led to a century of on-again, off-again occupation, culminating in a Persian counter-invasion. The episode covers the key players: Kaleb, the Negus who styled himself 'King of Kings'; Dhu Nuwas, the Himyarite ruler whose massacres sparked the war; Procopius, the Byzantine historian who recorded the events; and Abraha, the Axumite general who later rebelled and built his own kingdom. The hosts explore the religious dimensions—Miaphysite Christianity vs. Judaism—and the strategic importance of the incense route. They also discuss the legendary 'Year of the Elephant' in Islamic tradition, which may reference Abraha's campaign against Mecca. This episode untangles fact from myth in Axum's most ambitious foreign war. #Axum #Kaleb #Himyar #DhuNuwas #Procopius #Abraha #YearOfTheElephant #RedSea #Adulis #Miaphysite #Byzantine #Sassanid #LateAntiquity #EastAfrica #SouthArabia #IncenseTrade #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo