The dam of Saba breaks, c. 570 CE

Chapter 5 · Empires and Isa21 / 22

WorldMarib, Yemenabout 1,500 years ago

The dam of Saba breaks

The great dam of Saba breaks for the last time. Gardens turn to scrub and the tribes of Yemen scatter across Arabia.

There was for [the tribe of] Saba' in their dwelling place a sign: two [fields of] gardens on the right and on the left. [They were told], "Eat from the provisions of your Lord and be grateful to Him. A good land [have you], and a forgiving Lord."

Quran 34:15-17

Source: Quran, History ·

Every moment in the timeline

Borders come from the open historical-basemaps project (GPL-3.0) and are approximate. Dates before 1000 BCE are estimates, and for the earliest prophets the Quran gives the order of events but not their years. Sources: the Quran, Sahih al-Bukhari, the Seerah of Ibn Ishaq, Ibn Kathir's al-Bidaya wan-Nihaya, and standard histories. See also the villains of Islamic history, from Iblis to the Dajjal.

1. The beginningAdam to Nuh · dates unknown

2. Early nationsc. 3500 to 1600 BCE

3. Ibrahim and his familyc. 2000 to 1700 BCE

4. Musa and the Children of Israelc. 1350 to 540 BCE

5. Empires and Isa539 BCE to 600 CE

6. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ570 to 632 CE

7. The first caliphates632 to 750 CE

8. Baghdad and the golden age751 to 1258 CE

9. Ottomans, Safavids and Mughals1260 to 1798 CE

10. Colonial age to today1804 CE to now