In Saudi Arabia, history is everywhere. The Arabian Peninsula has been home to some of the world’s most ancient civilizations, and today’s Saudi Arabia is a living repository of that history. From the ruins of ancient civilizations to the rock-art of the desert, the country is a veritable outdoor museum.
The first known inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula were the people of Dilmun, a civilization that flourished in the region from the 3rd to the 1st millennium BCE. The people of Dilmun were great maritime traders, and the kingdom was famous for its pearls and copper. The next great civilization to rise in the region was the kingdom of Saba, or Sheba, which flourished from the 9th to the 6th century BCE. The kingdom was located in what is now Yemen, and its capital was the city of Marib. The Sabaeans were great builders, and their most famous accomplishment is the Marib Dam, which was constructed in the 8th century BCE and is still in use today. From the 6th century BCE onward, the Arabian Peninsula was home to a number of small kingdoms and city-states. These included the kingdoms of Qataban, Ma’in, and Himyar, as well as the city-states of Gerrha and Thaj. In the 4th century CE, the region was unified by the Himyarite king, Yusuf Dhu Nuwas. King Yusuf persecuted the Christians living in his kingdom, and in 525 CE, an army of Abyssinian Christians invaded and conquered the kingdom. The next great kingdom to rise in Arabia was the Abbasid Caliphate, which was founded in 750 CE. The Abbasids ruled from their capital in Baghdad, and their rule extended over much of the Arab world. The Abbasid Caliphate was eventually overthrown by the Seljuk Turks in 1055 CE. In the 13th century CE, the Mamluk Sultanate was established in Egypt, and the Mamluks soon extended their rule to include the Arabian Peninsula. The Mamluks ruled Arabia until the 16th century CE, when they were overthrown by the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans ruled Arabia until the early 20th century CE, when the Arabian Peninsula was conquered by the British. In 1932 CE, the British established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which exists to this day.
Saudi Arabia's historical place
In Saudi Arabia, historical place is defined by the Saudi government as "a site that has been inhabited, built or used by humans in the past, and which has been preserved to the present day". There are many such places in Saudi Arabia, some of which date back thousands of years.
The most famous historical site in Saudi Arabia is the ancient city of Petra, which was carved out of rock by the Nabataeans more than 2,000 years ago. The city was rediscovered by the West in 1812, and has since become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world.
Other notable historical sites in Saudi Arabia include the ruins of the ancient city of Dilmun, the rock art at Jubbah, the archaeological site of Thaj, and the tomb of the prophet Muhammad at Mada'in Saleh.