Which ancient South Arabian kingdoms left inscriptions?

The ancient South Arabian kingdoms that left inscriptions are primarily identified by the four major peoples described by the Greek writer Eratosthenes: the Sabaeans, the Minaeans, the Qatabānians, and the Hadramites.12

These kingdoms utilized the Old South Arabian (OSA) languages, which constitute an independent group within the Semitic family of languages. Their written records, which date back to the middle of the 1st millennium BCE, consist of a vast number of inscriptions found on stone slabs, rock faces, and bronze tablets.31

While Sabaean is the dialect represented by the majority of these inscriptions, the other kingdoms also contributed to this epigraphic record, albeit with varying frequency. For example, inscriptions from the Hadramite kingdom are noted to be more scant in number compared to those of the Sabaean, Minaean, or Qatabānian kingdoms. These ancient texts provide essential historical documentation for the region, reflecting the complex political and cultural landscape of pre-Islamic Arabia.14532