ʿAlqama bin Dhi Jadan al-Himyari (Arabic: علقمة بن ذي جدن الحميري) also Dhu Jadan al-Himyari (Arabic: ذو جدن الحميري) (fl. 6th - 7th century) was an Arab poet from Yemen. He was noted in particular for his poems about the fortresses of Yemen and their destruction including Ghumdan Palace, Baynun Fortress and Silhin Fortress.[1]
Dhu Jadan al-Himyari | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6th century Yemen |
| Died | 7th century |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Language | Arabic |
| Nationality | Yemeni |
| Notable works | Poems about the fortresses of Yemen |
Poetry
editDhu Jadan's poetry has been compiled in the eighth volume of Al-Iklil of Abu Muhammad al-Hasan al-Hamdani.[2]
An example of the poems he wrote is his eulogy to the Ghumdan Palace after its destruction:[3][4][a]
- You have heard of Ghumdan's towers:
- From the mountain top it lowers
- Well carpentered, with stones for stay,
- Plastered with clean, damp, slippery clay;
- Oil lamps within it show
- At even like the lightening's glow.
- This once-new castle is ashes today
- The flames have eaten its beauty away.
Notes
edit- ^ Ghumdan Palace was destroyed between 525–530 CE by the Aksumite garrison which invaded Yemen and overthrew the Himyarite Kingdom.[5]
References
edit- ^ Kueny, Kathryn (2001). The rhetoric of sobriety: wine in early Islam. SUNY Press. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-7914-5053-6. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ al-Hamdani (1940). Faris, Nabih A. (ed.). Kitab al-Iklil al-Juz' al-Thamin. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
- ^ "Citadels of High Yemen". CPA Media. Archived from the original on 7 June 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ Calder, Norman; Mojaddedi, Jawid Ahmad; Rippin, Andrew (2003). Classical Islam: a sourcebook of religious literature. Routledge. p. 66. ISBN 978-0-415-24032-1. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
- ^ al-Tabari (1999). The History of al-Ṭabarī Vol. 5: The Sāsānids, the Byzantines, the Lakmids, and Yemen. SUNY Press. ISBN 9780791443569.
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