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Description

Armed with axes, the Sentinels guard the capital with their lives.
Himyar was not a single nation but a central state that controlled its weaker neighbours - uniting under King Asa'ad and conquering the adjacent Sabaean Kingdom. At the top of the mountain known as 'Raydan', in southwest Arabia, he founded Zafar and declared it the capital of the Himyarite Kingdom. Zafar's position was advantageous, placed as it was along important trade routes, as well as on the highest point in Arabia, made it an ideal location to build an economically strong, easily defensible capital city. There is evidence that Zafar was besieged by the Aksumites in the 3rd century AD, but successfully defended itself against the African invaders. The fortress-palace at the top of the city, known as Husn Raydan (Raydan Palace) still stands to this day.

Description

Armed with axes, the Sentinels guard the capital with their lives.
Himyar was not a single nation but a central state that controlled its weaker neighbours - uniting under King Asa'ad and conquering the adjacent Sabaean Kingdom. At the top of the mountain known as 'Raydan', in southwest Arabia, he founded Zafar and declared it the capital of the Himyarite Kingdom. Zafar's position was advantageous, placed as it was along important trade routes, as well as on the highest point in Arabia, made it an ideal location to build an economically strong, easily defensible capital city. There is evidence that Zafar was besieged by the Aksumites in the 3rd century AD, but successfully defended itself against the African invaders. The fortress-palace at the top of the city, known as Husn Raydan (Raydan Palace) still stands to this day.