The Ancients Rise of Islam
38 snips
Oct 12, 2025 Dr. Khododad Rezakhani, a scholar at the Austrian Academy of Sciences specializing in West Asia, dives into the fascinating emergence of Islam in the 7th century. He discusses the geopolitical landscape shaped by Roman and Sasanian conflicts, highlighting the significance of the year 628 as a turning point. The conversation explores the success of early Arab conquests, driven by familiar local leaders, and the continuity of Sasanian governance under the Caliphs. Rezakhani emphasizes the transformation of trade and culture, viewing Islam within the broader context of late antiquity.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Sasanian Dominance During Islam's Birth
- The early 7th-century Sasanians repeatedly outmaneuvered Byzantium and at one point controlled the entire Eastern Mediterranean.
- Muhammad's Hijra (622) and the Medinan state emerged while Sasanians dominated the region, placing Islam in a Sasanian incubator.
628 As The Sasanian Political Breakpoint
- The 627–628 crisis toppled Khosrow II and shattered Sasanian dynastic authority rather than destroying infrastructure.
- 628 marks the dynasty's political end and created the power vacuum exploited later by Arab warlords.
Rejecting The 'Exhausted Empires' Myth
- The usual story that Byzantium and Persia were exhausted and undefended is misleading.
- Sasanians retained treasuries, cities and administrative capacity after Heraclius' campaigns.
