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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Herberto, post: 2310531, member: 74222&quot;]The last Byzantine-Persian war that lasted for about 25 years merely devastated both empires so severely that it made it easy to the Muslims to emerge. That the Arabs were made of pastoral/nomadic society unlike the agriculturally Byzantines/Persians was to the benefit of the Arabs as nomadic people tend to be less affected by plagues, in which was a factor that contributed to the success of the Muslims.</p><p><br /></p><p>While the Sassanid Empire ended immediately their days as superpower, the Byzantine Empires in contrast “just” transformed from a superpower into a geopolitical power that lasted until about 1204 where it started to decline and ultimately fell in 1453.</p><p><br /></p><p>Had the Muslims managed to conquer Constantinople already in 717 when the most of Europe was underdeveloped and Pagan the east Europe could have been Muslim today. When the Muslim Turks finally took Constantinople in 1453 they managed only to conquer weak Slavic-Balkan areas the next 100 years in Europe, otherwise the Austrian Habsburgs Empire and Tsar Russia were to powerfull and they slowly defeated the Turks onwards. The Byzantine Empire simply gave time to the Austrians and Russians to emerge when Constantinople first fell very very very late in 1453. Had they fall during the Arab Siege of Constantinople in 717 it will be very speculative what would have had happen to east Europe.</p><p><br /></p><p>The invasions of the Arabs fulfilled and turned the Roman Empire into a fully Byzantine one. Byzantine Empire was completely different in 717 and onwards comparing to earlier: Latin was replaced with Greek as language, the title “Augustus” was replaced with “Basilius” which is “King” in Greek, Monophysitians Christians were no longer part of Byzatium as they now had Chalcedonian Christians after they lost Middle East, and the Theme-system, a military system, was fully incorporated.</p><p><br /></p><p>If one just looks at the maps before and after the Arab invasion it may seem like the Romans was done it terribly. Well it is not as none could had predicted the Arabs would arise out of nothing from the desert that the Romans and Persians prior had seeing as something periphery. While the Arabs in the beginning had a bigger empire than Byzantine at a time the steam eventually went out and their empire shattered into fractions, and onwards the Byzantines won their geopolitical power back in the days of Mecedonians Dynasty and Comnenian days.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Heraclius with Heraclius Constantine, solidus, 4,42 gram. – It was during Heraclius’ reign that the Battle of Yarmouk took place and was lost which means the end of Syria and Levant and part of Iraq. Note that it was not Heraclius to blame that his army lost, there was little or nothing he could do after the long war with the Persians:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]465588[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Heraclius with Heraclius Constantine, both entronched, miliaresion, 6,86g. Sear 795</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465587[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>An Alexandria minted diodenummi of Heraclius, Egypt was lost after Heraclius’ death.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465582[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Constans II, minted in Syracuse, that looks far better in hand. Constants II built a fleet force that became crucial during the first Arab siege of Constantinople.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465583[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Contants II, half follis and minted in Carthago, between the croos you should see a “C” and a “T” which is not quite visible. Also lost to the Arabs after Constant II’s death:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465584[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p>&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Leo III the Isaurian with Constantine V, follis. Note that the three X’s don’t imply year 30 here. It was during Leo III’s reign that the second Arab Siege of Constantinople found place. It lasted for 1 year and the Arab army was humiliated utterly, especially thanks to the Greek Fire on ships:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465586[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Leo III the Isaurian with Constantine, milliaresion, the legends can be read somehow as “Jesus Christ (may he) Conquer” and reverse: “Leo and Constantine Grace(fom God) Kings(of the Romans)”:</p><p>[ATTACH=full]465589[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>And finally an Arabo pseudo-byzantine after Constans; </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]465585[/ATTACH] </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Here an illustration that should imagine the Arab second siege of Constantinople with the Greek Fire:</p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]465590[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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