People / group

Abna

Also known as Al-Abna'

The Abna were the descendants of the Persian soldiers sent by the Sasanian king Khosrow I to Yemen around 570 to drive out its Aksumite rulers. Settling in the country and marrying local women, they formed a distinct ruling elite in Sanaa under Persian governors. Their leader Badhan accepted Islam during the lifetime of Muhammad, and the Abna remained influential in early Islamic Yemen.

Mentioned in 1 state history

Sasanian Yemen

See also

Cite this entry
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Abna. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abna
MLA
“Abna.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abna. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Abna.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abna.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Abna’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/abna (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻