Old South Arabian languages

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 1, 2026

Quick Summary

Old South Arabian languages, also known as Epigraphic South Arabian, refer to extinct Semitic languages spoken in southern Arabia from at least the 3rd century BCE. These languages, including Minaean, Sabaean, Qatabanian, and Hadhramawtian, are distinct from the Modern South Arabian languages spoken today. The earliest inscriptions in these languages date back to the 8th century BCE and are written in a script that does not indicate vowels. These ancient languages are significant for understanding the linguistic history of the Arabian Peninsula and its connection to other Semitic language groups.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

history of Arabia
Prehistory and archaeology
The Yemenite inscriptions are in Old South Arabian (subclassified into Minaean, Sabaean, Qatabānian, and Hadhramautic), which is a wholly independent group within the Semitic family of languages. (The Old North Arabian and Old South Arabian inscriptions and graffiti are in scripts of a South Semitic type, of which Ethiopic is…
Read More
The Yemenite inscriptions are in Old South Arabian (subclassified into Minaean, Sabaean, Qatabānian, and Hadhramautic), which is a wholly independent group within the Semitic family of languages. (The Old North Arabian and Old South Arabian inscriptions and graffiti are in scripts of a South Semitic type, of which Ethiopic is…
Read More