GDRT (also GDR, vocalized by historians as Gadarat) was a king of the Kingdom of Aksum (c. 200), known for being the first king to involve Aksum in South Arabian affairs. He is known primarily from inscriptions in South Arabia that mention him and his son BYGT (also vocalized as "Beyga" or "Beygat"). GDRT has been equated with the anonymous king of the Monumentum Adulitanum located off the coast of Zula in the ancient settlement of Adulis located in modern day Eritrea, which would date his reign c. 200 – c. 230. However, the two rulers are sometimes thought to be distinct. Further, the French scholar Christian Robin, studying the inscriptions at al-Mis`al in Yemen, has shown that GDRT and his successor `DBH lived in the earlier half of the 3rd century. GDRT is also thought to be the same person as GDR, the name inscribed on a bronze wand or sceptre that was found in an area near Atsbi and Dar'a/Addi-Galamo in northern Ethiopia.
Aksumite inscription
The inscriptions of GDR represent the oldest surviving royal inscriptions in the Ge'ez alphabet. The oldest of these was found at Addi-Galamo in the regions of Atsbi and Dar'a in eastern Tigray Region in northern Ethiopia. The area is rich in pre-Aksumite artifacts, and inscriptions of a pre-Aksumite kingdom called Dʿmt have been found in the region. The inscription mentioning GDR is the only evidence of his existence from the western side of the Red Sea:
: the linguist A.J. Drewes therefore interprets as meaning a sceptre or royal emblem. The inscription's meaning is uncertain, but if is taken to mean a sceptre, and and are taken to be place names (or sanctuaries), then, according to Alexander Sima, the text could mean "GDR, king of Aksum gave (this) sceptre into the possession of (the sanctuaries) ʾRG and LMQ."
South Arabian involvement
right|The [[Horn of Africa and South Arabia at the end of GDRT's reign, after the loss of Zafar.|250px|thumb]]
GDRT is first mentioned in South Arabian inscriptions as an ally of `Alhan Nahfan, king of Saba, in an inscription at Maḥram Bilqīs, at Ma'rib in Yemen, the temple of the moon god Almaqah /Ilmuqah. According to Stuart Munro-Hay, the inscription reads
Alexander Sima translates the text slightly differently, specifying that it was GDRT who "sent a diplomatic mission to [`Ahlan] in order to form an alliance."
See also
- History of Eritrea
- History of Ethiopia
- Kingdom of Aksum
- List of kings of Axum
- History of Yemen
- Sabaeans
- Himyar
- Hadhramaut