Greg Fisher - Between Empires. Arabs, Romans, and Sasanians in Late Antiquity [2011][A]

Book Description
Publication Date: June 11, 2011
In Between Empires Greg Fisher tackles the problem of pre-Islamic Arab identity by examining the relationship between the Roman Empire and the Empire of Sasanian Iran, and a selection of their Arab allies and neighbours, the Jafnids, Nasrids, and Hujrids. Fisher focuses on the last century before the emergence of Islam and stresses the importance of a Near East dominated by Rome and Iran for the formation of early concepts of Arab identity. In particular, he examines cultural and religious integration, political activities, and the role played by Arabic as factors in this process. He concludes that interface with the Roman Empire, in particular, played a key role in helping to lay the foundation for later concepts of Arab identity, and that the world of Late Antiquity is, as a result, of enduring interest in our understanding of what we now call the Middle East.

Reviews
"This is an interesting work that helps fit the Arab elite groups of the Near East into the wider context of Roman "barbarian" relations. Fisher's arguments are sound and sophisticated." --Bryn Mawr Classical Review

"I would heartily recommend this book for anyone interested in the affairs and status of the Arabs in the sixth century. For anybody interested in the history of Arabs immediately prior to the Rise of Islam, it is vital reading." --Ian Hughes, UNRV.com

About the Author
Greg Fisher is Assistant Professor of Greek and Roman Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, where he teaches courses on Rome and the barbarians, the Near East, and Roman imperial history.