[09/June/2004] Sana’a is very well known as the historical and political capital of Yemen. It is situated in the center of Sana'a basin between Jabal Nugum and Aiban at a height of 2200m above sea level.

Historical Overview.
The first ever found inscription mentioning Sana'a dates to 70 AD as one of the Sabaeaic towns following Marib in importance. From the inscriptions also it has been found that"Dhu Nawas , the last Himyarite King was the first to establish Sana'a as his capital in 525 AD and remained so during the Abyssinian occupation for almost half a century .
When Sana'a fell under the Persian Empire's Control it remained as the Capital of Sana’a province.

Ever since the dawn of Islam till the beginning of independence of Islamic sub-state in many parts of Yemen detaching from the Capitals of the Islamic Caliphs , Sana’a used to be the capital of the ruler, the Caliph’s deputy in running the affairs of one of Yemen’ s Three Makhalifs i.e. Mikhlaf Sana’a , Mikhlaf Al-Janad and Mikhlaf Hadramout.

The Sullaihiad Kings (One of the Biggest Yemenite States during the Islamic Reign) were the first to adopt Sana'a as Capital for the Sullaiyhid Dynasty before transferring the capital to Jiblah between the years 1047, and 1083.

Then it became a capital of Hatimite State (a tribe of Hamdan) from 1098 till 1173.
They were partisans of the Sullaiyhids and were in war with the Zaidites Imams in Sadah and were allies of the Zaidites in Aden during their wars with Al-Mahdi in Zabid till the Hatimate State demised at the hands of the Ayyubides (1174-1229 AD.

Also Sana'a remained important during the Ayyubides and the Zone named Bostan A-Sultan in Sana'a refers to Sultan Taghtakin Bin Ayub whose capital was Taiz .

The Status of Sana'a didn't change during the reign of the Rasoulides 1226-1454 and this was the strongest Islamic Sub-state in Yemen which covered most of Yemen , i.e .Greater Yemen. Their capital was Taiz.

During the first Ottoman rule of Yemen between 1538-1635 Sana'a became the capital of the Ottoman Vilayet. The Turk had come back and controlled Yemen with Sana'a as capital from 1872-1918.

After the Ottomans Sana'a was the capital of Imam Yehya who ruled North Yemen till 1948 . During Imam Ahmed's rule it was the capital of Sana'a Province till the Revolution had broken out in 1962.

After that it become the capital of Yemen Arab Republic . Following the country Reunification on the 22nd of May 1990 it was dubbed as the Historical Capital of the republic of Yemen.
Saba