Axum's King Kaleb and the Invasion of Himyar

In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore King Kaleb's invasion of Himyar in 525 AD, a military campaign that made Axum the dominant power in the Red Sea. They discuss the religious and economic motivations behind the war, including the persecution of Christians by the Jewish Himyarite king Dhu Nuwas, and the famous siege of Zafar. Lucas explains how Kaleb used a fleet of sewn-plank ships to transport his army across the Red Sea, and how the conflict drew in the Sassanid Empire as a rival. The episode also touches on the controversial figure of Abraha, the Axumite general who later rebelled and launched an attack on Mecca, mentioned in the Quran as the Year of the Elephant. Listeners will learn about the political alliances, military strategy, and lasting impact of this forgotten war. #Axum #Kaleb #Himyar #DhuNuwas #RedSea #Zafar #Abraha #YearOfTheElephant #Sassanid #Procopius #CosmasIndicopleustes #MonumentumAdulitanum #Adulis #EastAfrica #AncientWarfare #History #FexingoHistory #RedSeaTrade Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo