Arabia Felix—An Early History of Yemen

This chapter presents an early history of Yemen. What is the connection between the biblical story of Noah's flood and Yemen? The answer to this question can tell us a great deal about how ancient chroniclers and modern-day Yemenis view their own country. According to local tradition, Noah's son Shem exited the ark after the flood in search of a place to live and came across the fertile lands of South Arabia. It is here that Noah built Sana'a, which tradition claims to have been the world's first city. The self-proclaimed centrality of Yemen to the history of the world and to Islam specifically is further espoused in the local belief that the name Yemen is a description of the country's position relative to Mecca and Medina. Arabia Felix, or Happy Arabia, dates to Greco-Roman times and was an expression of pleasant surprise at discovering the highlands of Yemen in South Arabia. The chapter then assesses what is unique about Yemen's geography and climate, as well as the importance of the port of Aden in Yemen's history. It also looks at archeological surveys of Yemen.