Tayma /ˈteɪmə/ (Taymanitic: 𐪉𐪃𐪒, TMʾ, vocalized as: Taymāʾ;[1] Arabic: تيماء, romanized: Taymāʾ) or Tema (Hebrew: תֵּימָן Tēmān (Habakkuk 3:3)) is a large oasis with a long history of settlement, located in northwestern Saudi Arabia at the point where the trade route between Medina and Dumah (Sakakah) begins to cross the Nafud desert.

The historical significance of Tayma is based on the existence there of an oasis, which helped it become a stopping point on commercial desert routes.

Based on this discovery, researchers have hypothesized that Tayma was part of an important land route between the Red Sea coast of the Arabian Peninsula and the Nile.

[citation needed] The oldest mention of the oasis city appears as "Tiamat" in Neo-Babylonian inscriptions dating as far back as the 8th century BC.

[citation needed] Emperor Nabonidus (ruled c. 556–539 BC) conquered Tayma, and for ten years of his reign retired there to worship and search for prophecies, entrusting the kingship of Babylon to his son, Belshazzar.

[7][clarification needed] Cuneiform inscriptions possibly dating from the 6th century BC have been recovered from Tayma.

The Jewish diaspora at the time of the Temple's destruction, according to Josephus, was in Parthia, Babylonia, Arabia, as well as some Jews beyond the Euphrates and in Adiabene.

In the summer of 1181, Raynald of Châtillon, Prince of Antioch and Lord of Oultrejordain, attacked a Muslim caravan near Tayma during a raid of the Red Sea area despite a truce between Saladin and Baldwin IV of Jerusalem.

[18][19] Clay tablets and stone inscriptions using Taymanitic script and language were found in ruins and around the oasis.