Ma’an

Ma’an

Ma'an was founded between the 2nd and 4th centuries B.C. by the Minaeans, an ancient Arabic people from Yemen, and is located on the ancient King's Highway and the modern Desert Highway. It was settled by Minaean merchants and traders, and was located on an important trade route. According to local lore, the town received its name from the son of Lot, Ma'an. The city was part of the territory of the Arab Christian tribe of Banu Judham, who served as vassals of the Byzantines in Transjordan during the Byzantine era in Syria. At the beginning of the seventh century, the Christian ruler of Maan converted to Islam and gave Mohammed many gifts, among them white mule and gold. He was ordered to renounce his new religion when the Byzantine authorities learned of his conversion, but he refused. As a result, the Byzantine Emperor ordered his imprisonment and eventual execution by crucifixion. In revenge, the Muslim state in Medina sent an army under the leadership of Usama ibn Zayd to conquer Ma'an. More recently, the city has been described by The Economist as a "hotbed for supporting IS." An Aljazeera article on IS sympathy in Ma'an in 2014 described the governorate as "known for its high crime rate, low employment and insurgency," and noted the presence of pro-IS graffiti in the city.