Реферат: Islamic Conquests Up To 700 Ad

the decline of the empire.? The Sasanian

empire, with Ctesiphon acting as a fulcrum for political, military and

administrative activity, survived the death of Peroz in 484 at the hands of the

Hepthalites and the Roman invasion of 627-8, but without Ctesiphon it stood no

chance of defending itself from the Muslims.It is clear than Sasanian and

Roman weaknesses played a significant role in the success of the Islamic

conquests.? Both empires were slowly

recovering from a long and damaging war and we can say with some certainty that

their military status was perilous.?

Both empires were ill-prepared for an attack from the Muslims and as was

often the case in this period the external pressures of the 7th

century intensified existing internal problems.? It would be wrong however to underplay Arab strengths.? The unity of purpose and organizational

power of the Islamic state was remarkable.?

In less than 40 years Muhammad and his successors under the umbrella of

Islam had created a centralised Arabian state capable of defeating both

powers.? The strength of Islam in

creating the state and in providing the ideological underpinning for centralisation

and expansion was extremely significant.?

It is for these reasons that I believe that Arab strengths were more

important than Roman and Persian weaknesses.?

Yes, the position of the great powers was perilous, but the phenomenal

rise of the Islamic state was needed to fully exploit both powers? weaknesses.