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50 at Axum, to have laid claim to the kingdom of Hamyar as early as this period, and the war which ended in the conquest of Yaman, was perhaps only a renewal of the national quarrel.

On the breaking out of the persecution of the Christians of Hamyar by Dzu Nowass, the Roman merchants engaged in the Ethiopian trade were among the first who experienced its effects. The rich merchandise contained in their caravans naturally excited the cupidity of the persecutors, the injuries which the Jews were represented to have suffered under the dominion of Rome were eagerly embraced as a pretext, and under pretence of retaliation the caravans were stopped and plundered on their passage over the mountains, and the merchants put to death. The nadjash was not slow in resenting the injury which his kingdom sustained by the interruption of the Roman trade. Messengers were dispatched to the tobbaa to expostulate, but without effect, and they were immediately followed by a powerful army. After a long and obstinate

1 The commencement of this inscription runs thus — Αειζανας βασιλευς Αζυμιτων και Όμηριτων και του Ῥαειδαν και Αιθοιπων και Σαβαειτων, κ.τ.λ. Aeizanas, king of the Axumites and of the Homerites, and of Rhaeidan and of the Ethiopians, and of the Sabaites, &c. The date of this inscription is fixed to an era immediately following the reign of Rabyah. See Salt's and Valentia's Travels.