Abraham
Abraham, also known as Abraha, was a notable figure in the early 6th century, primarily recognized for his leadership in the Aksumite Empire and his efforts to establish Christianity in the Arabian Peninsula. His early life remains largely undocumented, but he played a crucial role in the Abyssinian expedition in 523 CE, aimed at avenging the massacre of Christians in Najran by the Jewish ruler of Yemen, Yūsuf Asʽar. Following a military victory, Abraha became the viceroy of Yemen after Yūsuf’s defeat in 525 CE. He is perhaps best known for constructing a significant cathedral in Ṣanʿāʾ, intended to serve as a pilgrimage site rivaling Mecca.
In 570 or 571 CE, amidst tensions with the Kaʿbah cult in Mecca, he launched a famous expedition that included war elephants, which ultimately failed due to a smallpox epidemic. This event is remembered in Islamic tradition as the "year of the elephant." Abraha’s reign also coincided with significant environmental events, such as the catastrophic break of the Maʿrib Dam, which contributed to the decline of South Arabian civilization. His influence on the region's Christian culture would later be overshadowed by the rise of Islamic culture in the subsequent century. Abraha's legacy offers insight into the complex interactions between different cultures and religions during this transformative period in Arabian history.
Abraham
Related civilizations: Ethiopia, Arabia
Major role/position: Viceroy of Yemen
Life
Little is known about Abraha’s (AHB-rah-hah) early life. In 523 c.e., he participated in the 70,000-person Abyssinian expedition across the Red Sea to avenge the Christian massacre in Najran by Yūsuf Asՙar (also known as Dhū Nuwās), the Jewish ruler of Yemen. Following an initial but inconclusive military victory, Abraha replaced his commander, Arya, and became viceroy of Yemen following the death of Yūsuf Asՙar in battle in 525 c.e.
Abraha constructed a major cathedral in Ṣanՙā՚ as a rival pilgrimage site to the pagan Mecca. This building, known in Arabic as al-Qalīs from the Greek ekklesia (“church”), was defiled by members of the cult of the Kaՙbah in Mecca, probably in 570 or 571 c.e., the year of Muḥammad’s birth. Abraha retaliated against Mecca with an expedition that included at least one elephant. Despite Arab wonder at the unfamiliar animal, the expedition failed because of a smallpox epidemic. This year is known as the “year of the elephant.”
One of the burstings of the Ma՚rib Dam, known in Arabic tradition as the great flood, occurred in 542-543 c.e., during Abraha’s reign. This break was at least the second such event, but a more catastrophic one took place between 542 and 570 c.e. and is traditionally associated with the decline in the civilization of South Arabia.
Nothing is known of Abraha’s death, but the Abyssinians had lost control of Yemen to the Persians by 575 c.e.
Influence
The Christian culture that Abraha supported in Arabia was replaced by an Islamic culture in the next century.
Bibliography
Smith, G. Rex. Studies in the Medieval History of the Yemen and South Arabia. Brookfield, Vt.: Ashgate, 1997.