In this ground breaking essay, Mourad Akesbi re-examines a crucial period in Islamic history (the conquests of the Levant and Sasanian Empire in the 630s and 640s) which was largely mythologized during the Abbasid period. The book explores the socio-economic, demographic and military experience differences between Peninsular and Christian Arabs (especially the Ghassanids) prior to Islam. It describes in detail the much larger contributions made by Christian Arab military forces during the conquests of the 630s and 640s. In doing so, this book provides evidence that such conquests were primarily the byproduct of a Christian Arab insurrection against the Byzantine Empire and that, without such insurrection and Christian Arab help, Muslim warriors who were few, under-equipped and lacking in military experience, could not have defeated the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires. This book attempts to present a more balanced and realistic history of the Arab conquests by removing obvious falsehoods and emphasizing contributions of non-Muslims, including Christian Arabs.
