Between Empires: Arabs, Romans, and Sasanians in Late Antiquity
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Author Description
In Between Empires Greg Fisher tackles the problem of pre-Islamic Arab identity by examining the relationship between the Roman Empire and the Empire of Sasanian Iran, and a selection of their Arab allies and neighbours, the Jafnids, Nasrids, and Hujrids. Fisher focuses on the last century before the emergence of Islam and stresses the importance of a Near East dominated by Rome and Iran for the formation of early concepts of Arab identity. In particular, he examines cultural and religious integration, political activities, and the role played by Arabic as factors in this process. He concludes that interface with the Roman Empire, in particular, played a key role in helping to lay the foundation for later concepts of Arab identity, and that the world of Late Antiquity is, as a result, of enduring interest in our understanding of what we now call the Middle East.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This work investigates the development of pre-Islamic Arab identity through the geopolitical and cultural interactions between the Roman Empire, Sasanian Iran, and regional Arab tribal confederations. Greg Fisher, a scholar specializing in the history of the Near East, utilizes a synthesis of historical records and archaeological evidence to argue that the competitive influence of these two superpowers was instrumental in shaping the political and cultural frameworks of the Arab world. By focusing on the century preceding the rise of Islam, the author demonstrates how these external pressures facilitated the integration of religious, political, and linguistic practices among the Jafnids, Nasrids, and Hujrids.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Analysis of the diplomatic and military relationships between the Roman and Sasanian empires and their Arab client states.
- Examination of the role of the Jafnid, Nasrid, and Hujrid dynasties in regional power dynamics.
- Investigation into the cultural and religious integration processes occurring in the Near East during the final century of Late Antiquity.
- Discussion on the emergence of Arabic as a distinct factor in identity formation.
Scope Limits
- The study is primarily focused on the century immediately preceding the emergence of Islam.
- The analysis is restricted to the specific interactions between the Roman and Sasanian spheres and their immediate Arab neighbors.
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Scholars and historians frequently cite this work as a rigorous contribution to the study of Late Antiquity and the origins of Arab identity. Experts highlight the text's academic density and its success in re-evaluating the role of client states in the broader geopolitical landscape of the period.
Page Count:
272
Publication Date:
2011-01-01
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0191618942
ISBN-13:
9780191618949
History
Late Antiquity
Ancient History
Rome
Middle Eastern
Byzantine History
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