Commemorating 1500 years since the massacre of Najran with my novel, Jayida

The sixth century AD and Late Antiquity overall are largely underrepresented in historical fiction, and even more so when it comes to the pre-Islamic Middle East and Arabia. One of my goals with my latest novel Jayida was to fill that gap while recreating my story (partially inspired by a small segment of Sirat ‘Antar) in a more historically accurate context.

This 2023 year marks 1500 years since the massacre of Christians in Najran by the Jewish leader Dhu Nuwas of Himyar. (Today the location is a city in southwestern Saudi Arabia near the border with Yemen.) It prompted international response, mainly from Negus Kaleb of Aksum–an event also described by Justinian ‘s historian, Procopius.

*Image of the Greek Martyrion of Saint Arethas (Governor of Najran) and his companions ~ from the Menologion of Emperor Basil II, X-XIth century.

In my book, Jayida–known as the boy Jonder–Khaled, and ‘Antarah increasingly feel the impact of the shattering event amidst often volatile Arabian tribal relations, along with spiritual and climatic shifts sweeping the sixth century.

Exact event dates vary but a constant is November 523 AD, with some narrowing it down to November 25, 523. The leader Al-Harith (romanized to Arethas) and other martyrs of Najran are commemorated in the Orthodox and Eastern Catholic Churches, who follow the Greek-Slavic, Ethiopian and Syriac traditions. They are also venerated in the western Latin Church.

Get the book: natachapavlov.com/jayida/

Introducing my new historical fiction novel Jayida

Set in sixth century pre-Islamic Arabia and surrounding regions, Jayida is the work that first made me want to write historical fiction.

Born in early 525 AD in northwest Arabia, Jayida is secretly raised as a boy for her safety. In defiance of al-‘ayn, the evil eye, she grows up as Jonder and soon becomes known for perceptiveness and bravery. But her meeting of Khaled, whose father is the reason for her unusual upbringing, turns her world upside down. Will she risk revealing her true identity and win his love? And whose lives must be sacrificed when her fame finally draws her into ‘Antarah’s quest, the mixed-race badawi-Aksumite poet of the Banu ‘Abs, whose last challenge is to capture her to win his own beloved ‘Ablah? 

This is the timely retelling of a tale of Sirat ‘Antar. Set in the 1500-year-old historical context of Arabian tribal poetry, Roman-Persian-Himyarite-Aksumite relations, and climatic and plague events recorded worldwide, this colorful era is once more revived.

More info & buy: https://natachapavlov.com/jayida/

View the book trailer with lovely music by Marga Sol: