˜Theœ Red Sea from Byzantium to the Caliphate AD 500â&#x128&#x1471000

This book examines the historic process traditionally referred to as the fall of Rome and rise of Islam from the perspective of the Red Sea, a strategic waterway linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean and a distinct region incorporating Africa with Arabia. The transition from Byzantium to the Caliphate is contextualized in the contestation of regional hegemony between Aksumite Ethiopia, Sasanian Iran, and the Islamic Hijaz. The economic stimulus associated with Arab colonization is then considered, including the foundation of ports and roads linking new metropolises and facilitating commercial expansion, particularly gold mining and the slave trade. Finally, the economic inheritance of the Fatimids and the formation of the commercial networks glimpsed in the Cairo Geniza is contextualized in the diffusion of the Abbasid âĨ˜bourgeois revolutionâĨœ and resumption of the âĨ˜India tradeâĨœ under the Tulunids and Ziyadids. Timothy PowerâĨœs careful analysis reveals the complex cultural and economic factors that provided a fertile ground for the origins of the Islamic civilization to take root in the Red Sea region, offering a new perspective on a vital period of history This Book Examines The Historic Process Traditionally Referred To As The Fall Of Rome And The Rise Of Islam From The Perspective Of The Red Sea, A Strategic Waterway Linking The Mediterranean To The Indian Ocean And A Distinct Region Incorporating Africa With Arabia--dust Jacket Flap. Introduction: The Context Of Study. -- Red Sea Studies -- The Chronological Parameters Of Investigation -- The Geographical Parameters Of Investigation -- 1. The Late Roman Erythra Thalassa (ca. 325-525). -- Introduction -- The Formation Of Late Antiquity In The Red Sea -- Northern Ports And Hinterlands -- Emporia And Merchants -- Southern Ports And Hinterlands -- Development Of Commerce And Communications -- 1. Contested Hegemony (ca. 525-685). -- Introduction -- Ethiopian Hegemony (ca. 525-70) -- Persian Hegemony (ca. 570-630) -- Arab Hegemony (ca. 630-85) -- 3. The Long Eighth Century (ca. 685-830). -- Introduction -- Sinaitic Ports And Hinterlands -- Hijazi Ports And Hinterlands -- Yemeni Ports And Hinterlands -- Sudanese Ports And Hinterlands -- 4. The Early Islamic Bahr Al-qulzum (ca. 830-970). -- Introduction -- Northern Ports And Hinterlands -- Sudanese Ports And Hinterlands -- Southern Ports And Hinterlands -- Conclusion: The Long Late Antiquity From The Perspective Of The Red Sea. -- Introduction -- Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire In The Red Sea -- Muslim Conquests And The Caliphate In The Red Sea -- Legacies: Creating The World Of The Cairo Geniza. Timothy Power. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 279-356) And Index. This book examines the historic process traditionally referred to as the fall of Rome and rise of Islam from the perspective of the Red Sea, a strategic waterway linking the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean and a distinct region incorporating Africa with Arabia. The transition from Byzantium to the Caliphate is contextualized in the contestation of regional hegemony between Aksumite Ethiopia, Sasanian Iran, and the Islamic Hijaz. The economic stimulus associated with Arab colonization is then considered, including the foundation of ports and roads linking new metropolises and facilitating commercial expansion, particularly gold mining and the slave trade. Finally, the economic inheritance of the Fatimids and the formation of the commercial networks glimpsed in the Cairo Geniza is contextualized in the diffusion of the Abbasid âĨ˜bourgeois revolutionâĨœ and resumption of the âĨ˜India tradeâĨœ under the Tulunids and Ziyadids. Timothy PowerâĨœs careful analysis reveals the complex cultural and economic factors that provided a fertile ground for the origins of the Islamic civilization to take root in the Red Sea region, offering a new perspective on a vital period of history