Quizzes
Quick Facts
Adding us as a Preferred Source tells Google you trust our content, so our articles show up more often in your Google Search, Discover feed, and AI Overviews.
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies.
Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Ẓafār
ancient site, Yemen
Also known as: Saphar, Sapphar, Sephar
Ẓafār, ancient Arabian site located southwest of Yarīm in southern Yemen. It was the capital of the Himyarites, a tribe that ruled much of southern Arabia from about 115 bce to about 525 ce. Up until the Persian conquest (c. 575 ce), Ẓafār was one of the most important and celebrated towns in southern Arabia—a fact attested to not only by Arab geographers and historians but also by Greek and Roman authors. After the extinction of the Ḥimyar kingdom and the rise of Islam, Ẓafār gradually fell into decay.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia BritannicaThis article was most recently revised and updated by Adam Zeidan.
Discover the fascinating events that shaped the world, straight from our editors.
By clicking “Sign Up”, you consent to the Britannica
Privacy Policy
and
Terms of Use.