Aksumite expedition to Yemen under Kaleb

Timeline

1. 518–520Najran · Arabian PeninsulaThe Himyarite Jewish king Dhu Nuwas suppressed Christians in his realm, with large-scale persecution in Najran and elsewhere. Exiled Christians appealed to Aksumite king Kaleb and the Byzantine emperor, providing religious and political legitimacy for the overseas expedition.
2. 520–523Zafara · YemenKaleb organized a fleet at Aksum (in present-day northern Ethiopia), crossing the Red Sea to land on Yemen's west coast. The Byzantines may have provided ships and supplies; Aksumite forces joined local Christian allies and advanced into Himyar's interior.
3. 523–525Himyarite highlands · YemenAksumite forces defeated Dhu Nuwas in several battles; according to tradition he drowned himself in the sea. Kaleb installed Christian Himyarite nobles in power, and Yemen became an Aksumite vassal, reshaping Red Sea trade routes and the spread of Christianity in southern Arabia.