The Mukkaribs "priest-kings," were the first rulers of the early South Arabian states. They were later replaced by ordinary maliks (muluk) "kings."

Although precise dating of the establishment of these states is still a matter of study and controversy, all were apparently in existence before the time of Lehi

Lehi

Lehi refers to:In Mormonism:* Lehi , a prophet in the Book of Mormon of the 7th-6th centuries BC* Lehi, son of Helaman, another prophet in the Book of Mormon of the late 1st century BC...

.. They established colonies along the inland caravan route to the north, at such sites as Yathrib (Medina

Medina

Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...

), Didan/Dedan al-Khuraybah, and Al-Hijr

Al-Hijr

Sura Al-Hijr is the 15th sura of the Qur'an. It has 99 ayat. It is a Makkan sura believed to have been received by Muhammad shortly after the 12th sura , Muhammad's last year in Mecca. Like the other sura of this period it praises God....

/Hijra), around which later coalesced tribal groups that formed the less well developed states of Saba'a, Ma'een, Thamud

Thamud

The Thamūd were a people of ancient Arabia who were known from the 1st millennium BC to near the time of Muhammad. Although they are thought to have originated in southern Arabia, Arabic tradition has them moving north to settle on the slopes of Mount Athlab near Mada'in Saleh...

 and Lihyan

Lihyan

Lihyan is an ancient Arab kingdom. It was located in northwestern Arabia, and is known for its Old North Arabian inscriptions dating to ca...

in Western and Southern Arabia.