Ghassanid Empire Middle-Eastern empires

the ghassanids arab christians emigrated yemen hauran, in southern syria. term ghassan refers kingdom of ghassanids, , supposedly means spring of water . ghassanid state founded after king jafna bin ‘amr emigrated family , retinue north , settled in hauran (south of damascus).

the ghassanid kingdom ally of byzantine empire. more accurately kings can described phylarchs, native rulers of subject frontier states. capital @ jabiyah in golan heights. geographically, occupied of syria, palestine , northern hijaz far south yathrib (medina). acted guardian of trade routes, policed bedouin tribes , source of troops byzantine army.

the ghassanid king al-harith ibn jabalah (reigned 529–569) supported byzantines against sassanid persia , given title patricius in 529 emperor justinian i. al-harith monophysite christian; helped revive syrian monophysite (jacobite) church , supported monophysite development despite orthodox byzantium regarding heretical. later byzantine mistrust , persecution of such religious unorthodoxy brought down successors, al-mundhir (reigned 569–582) , nu man.

the ghassanids, had opposed persian allied lakhmids of al-hirah (southern iraq , northern arabia), prospered economically , engaged in religious , public building; patronised arts , @ 1 time entertained poets nabighah adh-dhubyani , hassan ibn thabit @ courts.

ghassan remained byzantine vassal state until rulers overthrown muslims in 7th century, following battle of yarmuk. @ battle 12,000 ghassanid arabs defected muslim side due muslims offering pay arrears in wages. real power, however, had been destroyed persian invasion in 614.