Qataban: Map & History
Qataban was an ancient Yemenite kingdom in South Arabia that existed from the early 1st millennium BCE to the late 1st or 2nd centuries CE.
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Qataban was an ancient Yemenite kingdom in South Arabia that existed from the early 1st millennium BCE to the late 1st or 2nd centuries CE.
Qataban in Depth
History
The earliest human occupation in the region of Qatabān dates to around the 20th century BCE and consisted of a Neolithic population. The earliest settlements in the area of Qatabān are from 11th to 10th centuries BCE.
Later, several waves of Semitic-speaking immigrants from the Levant and Mesopotamia arrived into South Arabia, bringing several new cultural elements, including early pottery which similarly appear to have been derived from various sources. The local and incoming cultures eventually gave rise to the ancient South Arabian culture to which Qatabān belonged.
Qatabān had developed into a centralised state centred around Timnaʿ by the late 7th or early 6th century BCE.
Economy
The economy of Qatabān primarily consisted of irrigation-based subsistence agriculture, for which the farmers used well irrigation and also developed flash flood irrigation methods which were more efficient than the constant-flow irrigation systems used elsewhere in ancient West Asian and North Africa. Qatabān also produced myrrh which was sold to Minaean merchants who sold it to markets in the countries of the Fertile Crescent.
The Qatabānians also derived revenue from their participation in international commercial networks, especially from the trade of frankincense and myrrh, as well as from the trans-shipment of products imported into West Asia from South Asia.
Geography
Qatabān was centred around the Wādī Bayhān, and its capital was the city of Timnaʿ.
The neighbours of Qatabān were Sabaʾ to the northwest and west, Awsān to the south, and Ḥaḍramawt to the east. At its maximum extent, Qatabān's territory extended from the Bāb al-Mandab in the southwest to the Ṣayhad desert to the north, and the western limits of Ḥaḍramawt to the east.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Qataban (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Qataban: Key Facts
| Capital | Timna |
|---|---|
| Founded | 8th century BCE |
| Dissolved | 150 CE |
Succeeded by
- Kingdom of Hadhramaut
Facts from Wikidata Q748595 (CC0).
Qataban Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Qataban appears, with the other states of the time.
Qataban Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 11,920 km² in 230 BCE.
Qataban: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Qataban exist?
Qataban is dated to 350 BCE – 183 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Qataban?
The capital of Qataban was Timna.
How large was Qataban at its peak?
At its peak in 230 BC Qataban covered about 11,920 km².
How did the map of Qataban change over time?
Qataban appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 323 BCE to 100 BCE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.