OLLI Workshop: Critical Historical Periods in the Middle East
Leader: Theo Pavlidis (t.pavlidis@ieee.org)
Handout No. 6 - March 8, 2010
Wrap Up of Chapter 5 - Three quotes
Instructions of the first caliph, Abu Bakr, to the army attacking Syria: "...When you fight the battles of the Lord, acquit yourselves like men, without turning your backs; but let not your victory be stained with the blood of women or children. Destroy no palm-trees, nor burn any field of corn. ..." [Gibbon, vol. 5, 309-310]
"In the course of the millennia Middle East bureaucracies, through many changes of government, religion, culture, and even script and language, show a remarkable persistence and continuity." [Lewis, p. 182]
"in its politics Byzantium often resembled a Middle Eastern dictatorship". [Treadgold, Preface, p. xix]
| A Time-line of Middle Eastern Powers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Approximate Period | Years | Power |
550 - 330 BCE |
220 |
Persians (Zoroastrian) |
330 - 100 BCE |
230 |
Greeks |
100 BCE - 300 CE |
400 |
Romans (Pagan) |
300 - 640 CE |
340 |
Romans (Christian) |
640 - 940 |
300 |
Arabs (Muslim) |
940 - 1040 |
100 |
Persians (Muslim) |
1040 - 1520 |
480 |
(Seljuk) Turks with Crusader and Mongol interludes |
1520 - 1920 |
400 |
Ottoman Turks |
1920 - 1950 |
30 |
Britain and France |
Chapter 6: The Byzantine Empire from 650 to 1050
Main Topics of Chapter 6: Isaurian Dynasty - Iconoclasm - Macedonian Dynasty
Main Sources: Gibbon [EG], Whittow [MW96], Treadgold [WT97]
Visuals for Sixth Meeting
 |
What was left of the Roman Empire around 700. Not only Syria and Egypt have been lost to the Arabs, but also most of what is today Greece has been lost to Slavs and most of Italy to the Lombards. |
| Adapted from http://hobbit.ict.griffith.edu.au/~wiseman/Roman/19Maps.html#754 | |
 |
Lands of the Roman Empire in 1040 at the end of the Macedonian dynasty. The label on the right spells Manzikert, a place that will play a fateful role 30 years later. |
| Adapted from http://hobbit.ict.griffith.edu.au/~wiseman/Roman/GreekPerspective.html | |