- Reconstructs the lives of enslaved women and men, showing how they contributed to medieval Yemen’s society, economy and politics - Provides detailed information on slave trading between East Africa and Yemen in the 13th century - Highlights the gendered nature of slavery by analyzing the complex social identities and positions of eunuchs (castrated slaves) and concubines (female slaves used by their owners for sex) - Includes a study of the Najahids (1021-1158 CE), a little-known Yemeni dynasty founded by Ethiopian slaves - Adds historical depth to current debates on social and racial hierarchies in modern Yemen