486 AD: the Eastern Roman Empire.2C the Dominion of the Ghassanids.2C and the Dominion of the Sassanids Middle-Eastern empires

1 486 ad: eastern roman empire, dominion of ghassanids, , dominion of sassanids

1.1 eastern roman empire
1.2 ghassanid empire
1.3 sassanid empire

486 ad: eastern roman empire, dominion of ghassanids, , dominion of sassanids
eastern roman empire

constantinople, situated on bosporus straits @ mouth of black sea, became capital of roman empire in 330 ad after constantine great, first christian emperor, refounded city of byzantium. although city called constantinople until fall, eastern roman empire became known classical name of byzantium, , city called old name well.

the city s status residence of eastern roman emperor made premier city in of eastern roman colonies in balkans, syria, jordan, israel, lebanon, cyprus, egypt, , part of present-day libya. indication of degree eastern empire not made greatest part of original romans, can seen in official languages of byzantines: greek, coptic, syriac , armenian, few christian priests speaking latin.

the sacking of rome visigoths , vandals, , de facto collapse of roman power in west, felt throughout eastern roman empire thunderclap. impossible had happened, power had held sway in known world had vanished.

due immense symbolism of rome, eastern roman emperors made 2 attempts recapture west, once ironically using romanized germans. use of germanic tribes such goths , vikings (in varangian guard in constantinople) major reason why eastern empire lasted long did.

surrounded huge walls, defenses erected romans @ height of power, , defended armies of germanic mercenaries, constantinople ended surviving city virtually besieged greater part of life, territories restricted direct area of city.

ghassanid empire

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.

sassanid empire

the sassanid era, encompassing length of late antiquity period, considered 1 of important , influential historical periods in iran. in many ways sassanid period witnessed highest achievement of persian civilization, , constituted last great iranian empire before muslim conquest , adoption of islam.

whereas romans seen main aggressors against parthians, these roles reversed sassanids in aggressiveness against romans , later byzantines.

the sassanids came power on wave of nationalism , pride. first shah of sassanid dynasty, ardashir, promised destroy hellenistic influence in persia, avenge darius iii against heirs of alexander, , reconquer territories once held achaemenid kings. shah saw romans persia’s main enemy, , in following wars ensued, sassanids upheld promises of ardashir.

ardashir began reign conquering few lands left under parthian control invading armenia. blamed romans aiding armenians, close ally rome, , in 230 invaded mesopotamia , besieged nisibis, unsuccessfully, while cavalry threatened cappadocia , syria.

the romans shocked when heard persians had invaded. still thought of sassanids no different parthians, however, sassanids different in terms of aggressiveness , nationalistic zeal , romans realize this. romans sent delegation ask persian withdrawal, noting past defeats of parthians romans warning. ardashir rejected , in 231 rome mobilized war under severus alexander, drawing troops egypt black sea form 3 massive armies.

rome s forces, under emperor alexander split 3 columns, 1 went armenia (the left column), 1 went euphrates (the right column), , 1 stayed in mesopotamia, led emperor himself. ardashir engaged right column in battle, defeated it, , on note, alexander decided end war , retreated, although peace treaty never signed.

in 233, after winning wars in east, ardashir again invaded rome, time captured nisibis , carrhae. ardashir extended persian empire oxus in north-east, euphrates in west, , on death bed in 241, passed on crown shapur, carry on war further rome.

the sassanid dynasty revived old achaemenid traditions, including zoroastrianism, ardashir had promised. however, exhausting wars byzantium left empire unready face muslim armies arabia.