Khosrow I’s Foreign Policy and 6th century Yemen

In examining Khosrow I's expedition to Yemen, this paper looks at one of the pivotal fronts in the Great Game of Late Antiquity, the "cold war" between the Byzantine and Sassanian empires, the two superpowers of their age. It analyzes the King of King's decision to launch the mission from a mainly economic angle. It looks at southern Arabia's own intrinsic value, the geopolitical significance of Yemen in relation to the maratime Silk Road, and the rise of Mecca, a new commercial hub in neighbouring Hejaz. By doing this, the author hopes to exhibit the central importance which southern Arabia played in the geopolitics and commerce of Late Antiquity.