Amr ibn Ma'dikarib

Amr ibn Ma'dikarib al-Zubaidi was the most celebrated warrior-hero of Yemen and one of the most famous fighters in pre-Islamic and early Islamic Arabia. He was known for his extraordinary physical strength, skilled swordsmanship, and poetic ability. He was also one of the Riddah (apostasy) participants — after the Prophet's death, he joined the apostates of his tribe briefly before genuinely returning to Islam. Under Abu Bakr's caliphate, he was pardoned and became a devoted Muslim fighter. He joined Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas's army for the conquest of Iraq and Persia. His sword, al-Samsama, was one of the most famous weapons in Arabia — a poetic composition of his was essentially an ode to this sword. He participated in the great battles of the Persian conquest. He was martyred at the Battle of Nihawand in 21 AH, the battle that ended Sassanid military resistance and was later called the 'Conquest of Conquests' (Fath al-Futuh). He was approximately 80-90 years old at the time of his death, illustrating the extraordinary vitality of some of these ancient warriors.