How did Persian expansion in South Arabia weaken Aksum’s influence?

The Persian expansion into South Arabia in the late 6th century significantly weakened the Aksumite Empire by ending its political and military control over the region.12

During the early 6th century, Aksum had established Yemen as a vassal state to protect Christian populations. However, local resentment toward Aksumite rule led the Himyarites to seek assistance from the Sasanian dynasty of Persia to expel the Aksumites. The subsequent Persian invasion successfully ousted Aksumite forces, bringing their influence in South Arabia to a close after 572 CE.123

This loss of territory was a critical turning point for Aksum. The Persian occupation disrupted established trade routes across the Red Sea, which were further destabilized by the rise of Arab powers in the 7th and 8th centuries. These combined geopolitical shifts undermined the economic foundation and regional political influence that had sustained Aksum at its apogee.12