Western Civilization

The Rise of Islam

Q FOCUSQUESTION: What was the basic message of

Islam, and why was it able to expand so successfully?

The Arabs were a Semitic-speaking people of south-

western Asia with a long history. In Roman times, the

Arabian peninsula came to be dominated by Bedouin

nomads who moved constantly to find water and food

for themselves and their animals. In early times, the

Bedouins had supported themselves primarily by

sheepherding or by raiding passing caravans, but after

the domestication of the camel during the second

millenniumB.C.E., the Bedouins began to participate in

the caravan trade themselves and became major car-

riers of goods between the Persian Gulf and the Medi-

terranean Sea.

Although these early Arabs were polytheistic, they

believed in a supreme God named Allah (AH-lah) (Ara-

bic for “God”) who ruled over the other gods. Allah was

A Byzantine Emperor Gives Military Advice

Both the Byzantine emperors and the ruling elite

realized that military forces alone would not suffice, and

consequently they fostered the art of diplomacy and

military intelligence. This document is from an early-

seventh-century work entitled theStrategikon(stra-TEE-

jih-kahn), a manual of strategy written by the emperor

Maurice (582–602), himself an experienced general who

led his troops into battle. The work is based on the

assumption that a detailed knowledge of the habits and

fighting skills of their enemies would give the Byzantines

an advantage if they had to fight.

Maurice,Strategikon

The light-haired races [Germanic peoples] place great

value on freedom. They are bold and undaunted in

battle. Daring and impetuous as they are, they consider

any timidity and even a short retreat as a disgrace. They

calmly despise death as they fight violently in hand-to-

hand combat either on horseback or on foot. If they are

hard pressed in cavalry actions, they dismount at a

single prearranged sign and line up on foot. Although

only a few against many horsemen, they do not shrink

from the fight. They are armed with shields, lances, and

short swords slung from their shoulders. They prefer

fighting on foot and rapid charges.

Whether on foot or horseback, they draw up for

battle, not in any fixed measure and formation, or in

regiments or divisions, but according to tribes, their

kinship with one another, and common interest.

Often, as a result, when things are not going well and

their friends have been killed, they will risk their lives

fighting to avenge them. In combat they make the

front of their battle line even and dense. Either on

horseback or on foot they are impetuous and

undisciplined in charging, as if they were the only

people in the world who are not cowards. They are

disobedient to their leaders. They are not interested

in anything that is at all complicated and pay little

attention to external security and their own

advantage. They despise good order, especially on

horseback. They are easily corrupted by money,

greedyastheyare.

When it comes to a cavalry battle, they are hindered

by uneven and wooded terrain. They are easily

ambushed along the flanks and to the rear of their

battle line, for they do not concern themselves at all

with scouts and other security measures. Their ranks

are easily broken by a simulated flight and a sudden

turning back against them....

Above all, therefore, in warring against them one

must avoid engaging in pitched battles, especially in

the early stages. Instead, make use of well-planned

ambushes, sneak attacks, and stratagems. Delay things

and ruin their opportunities. Pretend to come to

agreements with them. Aim at reducing their boldness

and zeal by shortage of provisions or the discomfort of

heat or cold. This can be done when our army has

pitched camp on rugged and difficult ground. On such

terrain this enemy cannot attack successfully because

they are using lances.

Q According to Maurice, what are the strengths and

weaknesses of the Germanic peoples? Based on his

analysis of their traits, what advice does he give his

military forces in the event that they face the

Germans in battle?

Source: George T. Dennis, trans.,Maurice’s Strategikon: Handbook of Byzantine Military Strategy, Book 11 (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1984), pp. 118–119.

166 Chapter 7Late Antiquity and the Emergence of the Medieval World

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