Homerite

Author:Laxman Burdak, IFS (R)

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The "Homerite Kingdom" is described in the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula in the 1st century Periplus of the Erythraean Sea.

Homerite or Himyarite was a Kingdom referred to as the Homerite Kingdom (fl. 110 BCE–520s CE) by the Greeks and the Romans, was a polity and region in the southern highlands of Yemen. Its subjects being called Homeritae.

Variants

• Homerite
• Homerites
• Homeritæ (Pliny.vi.32)
• Hamirei (Pliny.vi.32)
• Homeritae (people)
• Homerite Kingdom
• Himyarite Kingdom
• Arabic: مملكة حِمْيَر,
• romanized: Mamlakat Ḥimyar,
• Hebrew: ממלכת חִמְיָר),
• Himyar (Arabic: حِمْيَر, Ḥimyar, 𐩢𐩣𐩺𐩧𐩣 / 𐩹𐩧𐩺𐩵𐩬)

Jat Gotras Namesake

• Homer = Homeritæ (Pliny.vi.32)

• Homer = Hamirei (Pliny.vi.32)

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions Arabia..... Next comes a town, fourteen miles distant, called Marippa, and belonging to the Palamaces, a place by no means to be overlooked, and then Carnon. The Rhadamæi also—these too are supposed to derive their origin⁵² from Rhadamanthus, the brother of Minos—the Homeritæ⁵³, with their city of Masala⁵⁴, the Hamirei, the Gedranitæ, the Amphyræ,...

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52 A story as probable, Hardouin observes, as that about the descendants of Minos.

53 The Arabs of Yemen, known in Oriental history by the name of Himyari, were called by the Greeks Homeritæ.

54 An inland city, called Masthala by Ptolemy.

Mention by Pliny

Pliny mentions Arabia.....He (Ælius Gallus) brought back with him the following discoveries—that the Nomades⁶³ live upon milk and the flesh of wild beasts, and that the other nations, like the Indians, extract a sort of wine from the palm-tree, and oil from sesame.⁶⁴ He says that the most numerous of these tribes are the Homeritæ and the Minæi, that their lands are fruitful in palms and shrubs, and that their chief wealth is centred in their flocks.

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63 Or wandering tribes.

64 Its uses in medicine are stated at length in the last Chapter of B. xxi.

History

The Himyarite Kingdom was a confederation of tribes, several inscriptions and monumental buildings survive of this period which shows evidence of a wealthy, sophisticated, relatively literate society that had a rich variety of local gods and religions. Trade was already well established by the 3rd century AD, with Yemen supplying the Roman Empire with frankincense and myrrh. Further, the late 1st century AD writer Pliny the Elder mentioned that the kingdom was "the richest nations in the world". It was a hub of international trade, linking the Mediterranean, the Middle East and India.

The trade linking East Africa with the Mediterranean world largely consisted of exporting ivory from Africa to be sold in the Roman Empire. Ships from Ḥimyar regularly travelled the East African coast, and the state also exerted a large amount of Influence both cultural, religious and political over the trading cities of East Africa whilst the cities of East Africa remained independent. The Periplus of the Erythraean Sea describes the trading empire of Himyar and its ruler "Charibael" (probably Karab'il Watar Yuhan'em II), who is said to have been on friendly terms with Rome:

"23. And after nine days more there is Saphar, the metropolis, in which lives Charibael, lawful king of two tribes, the Homerites and those living next to them, called the Sabaites; through continual embassies and gifts, he is a friend of the Emperors."

— Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, Paragraph 23.

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Until 110 BCE, it was integrated into the Qatabanian kingdom, afterwards being recognized as an independent kingdom. According to classical sources, their capital was the ancient city of Zafar, relatively near the modern-day city of Sana'a. Himyarite power eventually shifted to Sana'a as the population increased in the fifth century. After the establishment of their kingdom, it was ruled by kings from dhū-Raydān tribe. The kingdom was named Raydān.

The kingdom conquered neighbouring Saba' in c. 25 BCE (for the first time), Qataban in c. 200 CE, and Haḍramaut c. 300 CE. Its political fortunes relative to Saba' changed frequently until it finally conquered the Sabaean Kingdom around 280. Himyar then endured until it finally fell to invaders from the Kingdom of Aksum in 525 CE.

The Himyarites originally worshiped most of the South-Arabian pantheon, including Wadd, ʿAthtar, 'Amm and Almaqah. Since at least the reign of Abikarib Asʿad (c. 384 to 433 CE), Judaism was adopted as the de facto state religion. The religion may have been adopted to some extent as much as two centuries earlier, but inscriptions to polytheistic deities ceased after this date. It was embraced initially by the upper classes, and possibly a large proportion of the general population over time.

Descendants of the Himyarites, namely the aristocratic families of Dhu'l-Kala and Dhu Asbah, played a prominent role in early Islamic Syria. They led the South Arabian contingents of the Muslim army during the conquest of Homs in 638 and contributed to making Homs a center for South Arabian settlement, culture and political power. Their chiefs supported Mu'awiya ibn Abi Sufyan against Caliph Ali in the First Muslim Civil War (656–661). Their influence waned with their defeat at the Battle of Marj Rahit against the Quda'a confederation and the Umayyad caliph Marwan I in 684 and practically diminished with the death of their leader at the Battle of Khazir in 686. Nonetheless, members of the Dhu'l-Kala and Dhu Asbah played important roles at different times through the remainder of Umayyad rule (661–750) as governors, commanders, scholars, and pietists.