The Eastern Hemisphere in 600AD
We travel through Spain, Gaul, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia, the East and Persia to uncover the geo-political situation in 600AD.
Period: 500-602
Map: The map shows the political distribution of states and nations around 600 AD.
(Author: Thomas Lessman, Source Website: www.WorldHistoryMaps.info.)
Download: Episode 39 – Neighbours and Provinces
RSS Feed: The History of Byzantium
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The History of Byzantium 
Fantastic podcast.
At one point (25:20, or thereabouts) you are discussing cults and such in the Arabian Peninsula and you say: “you can see where I am going with that one”, but I’ve listened to it several times and I can’t see where you’re going. Do you mean the cults were important in the downfall? I fear I missed your point. Could you explain?
Hey, I just meant to foreshadow the rise of Islam. The area had a wide variety of religious practice and Mohammed would come from that background and unite them all.
A! D’oh. Makes complete sense now.
Thanks for replying. And thanks again for producing the podcast. It is definitely in my current top ten.
Another question: do you have any recommendations for books which explore the interactions the Muslim empires had with the Byzantine empire? The Islamic expansion is a real gap in my knowledge and I’d be interested in filling it in. Thanks again for the podcast.
I haven’t quite reached that stage yet. I can let you know the books I plan on reading but obviously I can’t recommend them until I have 🙂
An advance reading list, of sorts? Sounds good. Any titles you’re planning to read would no doubt be a good place to start.
If you want an outline of the story then do check the bibliography at the top of this site. There are most of the books I’m reading in general (Warren Treadgold is the most straightforward). But…
In the Shadow of the Sword by Tom Holland
Byzantium Viewed by the Arabs by Nadia Maria El Cheikh
Byzantium and the Early Islamic Conquests by Walter Kaegi
are three I will be getting too. Depending on how comprehensive you want to get the Cambridge Medieval Histories are supposed to be thorough and I’ve found links to where you can read the post Heraclius stuff.
Click to access Brooks_CMH2_13.pdf
Click to access Brooks_CMH4_5.pdf
I will be updating the bibliography as I read more.
That is really helpful. Thank you.