Axum's King Kaleb: The Himyar War That Changed the Red Sea

King Kaleb of Axum launched one of the most ambitious military campaigns of late antiquity: a naval invasion of Himyar in southern Arabia. This episode unpacks the religious and political motivations behind the war of 525 AD, the siege of Zafar, and the massacre at Najran. We explore Kaleb's alliance with Byzantine emperor Justin I, the role of the Red Sea trade, and the aftermath that saw Axumite influence in Yemen crumble within decades. Drawing on Procopius and the Greek inscription at Adulis, we piece together a war that reshaped the Horn of Africa and Arabia. #Axum #Kaleb #Himyar #RedSea #Najran #DhuNuwas #JustinI #Byzantine #Adulis #Procopius #Zafar #MonumentumAdulitanum #Yemen #LateAntiquity #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #Christianity Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo