The founding of the town dates back to the
era of the South Arabian Himyarite Kingdom. At the time of the Sabaean kingdom,
the town blossomed into a fortress. A series of bronze plaques from that time
were found in the town in the mid nineteenth century and are now in the British
Museum. In particular, in the 7th Century it was the great city of valor during
the clashes against the Sabeans, a plurality of regionally based tribes.
Remains of carved stones that belonged to former temples and palaces bear
witness today of past glory. A large stone inscription is found in the western
city gate (Bab
