Sunday, April 25, 2010

Arabia Felix

Yemen
southwestern region of Arabia, from Arabic Yemen, lit. "the country of the south," from yaman "right side" (i.e., south side, if one is facing east). The right side regarded as auspicious, hence Arabic yamana "he was happy," lit. "he went to the right," and hence the L. name for the region in Roman times, Arabia Felix, lit, "Happy Arabia."
A country of southwest Asia at the southern tip of the Arabian peninsula. It was ruled by various peoples, such as the Sabaeans, Himyarites, Romans, Ethiopians, and Persians, in ancient times. It was conquered in the 7th century A.D. by Muslim Arabs and became part of the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. The northern part (known as Yemen or North Yemen) was established as an independent kingdom in 1918 and made a republic in 1962.
(Dictionary.com)
The capital of Yemen is Sana'a 

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