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History of Yemen
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Yemen.
Overview
Yemen was one of the oldest centers of civilization in the Near East. Between the 12th century BC and the 6th century AD, it was part of the Minaean, Sabaean, and Himyarite kingdoms, which controlled the lucrative spice trade, and later came under Ethiopian and Persian rule. In the 7th century, Islamic caliphs began to exert control over the area.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Ancient Kingdoms
1200 BCE – 628
Yemen was home to the Minaean, Sabaean, and Himyarite kingdoms, which dominated the ancient spice and incense trade routes. These sophisticated states maintained extensive commercial networks stretching to the Mediterranean world. The region subsequently came under Ethiopian and Persian rule before the Persian governor of Yemen embraced Islam in 628 CE, ending the pre-Islamic era.
Islamic & Zaydi Era
628 – 1839
Arab Islamic caliphates extended control over Yemen in the 7th century, and following the fragmentation of the Abbasid caliphate, Zaydi Imams established a durable theocratic order across northern Yemen. The Ottomans absorbed much of the region in the 16th century but were largely expelled by the 1630s, after which Zaydi Imams reasserted authority. In the south, the Kathiridi sultanate and other tribal confederations maintained distinct political structures alongside intermittent Ottoman encroachments from 1849 onward.
Colonial Division
1839 – 1918
Britain captured the strategic port of Aden in 1839, administering it as part of British India and gradually extending protectorates over the surrounding tribal territories. The Ottomans simultaneously pressed their occupation of northern Yemen, though fierce tribal resistance confined effective Turkish control largely to urban centers. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 amplified Aden's commercial and strategic importance, deepening the geopolitical division of Yemeni territory.
Divided Independence
1918 – 1990
The collapse of the Ottoman Empire in 1918 brought independence to North Yemen under Imam Yahya and his successors, while the south remained under British rule until 1967, when Marxist NLF guerrillas seized power and eventually proclaimed the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen in 1970. A republican revolution overthrew the Imamate in North Yemen in 1962, sparking a civil war drawing in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. The two Yemeni states engaged in recurrent border conflicts and ideological rivalry through the 1970s and 1980s despite nominal agreements to pursue unification.
Unified Republic
1990 – 2014
North and South Yemen merged on May 22, 1990, forming the Republic of Yemen under President Ali Abdullah Saleh. A southern secessionist uprising in 1994 was swiftly suppressed by northern forces, and a border agreement with Saudi Arabia was reached in 2000. The period nonetheless saw mounting instability, including Houthi insurgencies in the north, a resurgent southern separatist movement, and the growing presence of Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
Civil War & Crisis
2014 – present
Houthi forces seized Sanaa in late 2014 and advanced southward, prompting a Saudi-led military coalition to intervene in 2015 in support of the internationally recognized government. The conflict has produced one of the world's worst humanitarian catastrophes, with widespread famine, disease, and mass displacement. Yemen remains fractured among multiple armed factions, with no durable political settlement achieved.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
1000 BCE
A state centered around ancient trade routes rises.
A state centered around ancient trade routes rises. It is called Saba, most of its power is based on agricultural wealth arising from the famous dam of Ma’rib, and the trade of frankincense. The citizens mostly practice a worship of idols.
395
The Holy Roman Emperor Theodisius makes Christianity the new state religion.
The Holy Roman Emperor Theodisius makes Christianity the new state religion. Christian reluctance to trade and use frankincense, upsets Saba’s trade and sends the state into decline.
575
The Persians take control of a weakened Saba.
The Persians take control of a weakened Saba.
628
The Persian governor of Yemen converts to Islam.
The Persian governor of Yemen converts to Islam, followed by the rest of his subjects. During this time, the first Yemeni mosque is built in Sana’a.
628 – 1962
The Zayidi dynasty takes power in the north as a strict Islamic state.
The Zayidi dynasty takes power in the north as a strict Islamic state.
1454 – 1967
The Kathirids take power in the south.
The Kathirids take power in the south and remain the dominant force in the region until 1967.
1500 – 1600
Ottomans absorb part of Yemen into their empire but are expelled in the 1600s.
Ottomans absorb part of Yemen into their empire but are expelled in the 1600s.