After Alexander the Great's great leap forward, his death broke down, resulting in a plethora of succession states.
After that, Rome existed on the European side of the Mediterranean Sea. Seleucid, Ptolemaic, Parthia, Pergamon As I mentioned before, it was destroyed or weakened at different times.
This time, the influence of Rome and the center of East-West trade Parthian Sasanian that caused the destruction of I will explore about.
What is the influence of ancient Rome? ??
The situation in the Middle East is still deeply related to Europe, isn't it?
When you look at such ancient Europe, you must never forget Ancient Rome . is. Ancient Rome is divided into times according to its system.
- Royal era:753 BC-509 BC
- Republic period:509 BC-27 BC
- Imperial period:27-476 BC
Let's take a brief look at ancient Rome after Alexandros
Alexander the Great (356 BC-323 BC) coincides with the republican period is. While Alexander the Great was making a great leap forward, Rome was a country large enough to rule around the city of Rome.
The death of Alexander the Great and the demise of the Great Empire in the midst of Rome's development. Then, the founding of the nation and the struggle for the successor nation will occur by his multiple successors. Even if there are large powers nearby, small countries can survive or expand their territory if they fight each other.
Rome, which had only territory around the city, was the latter.
It wasn't until nearly 60 years after the death of Alexander the Great that it expanded to a territory close to the present Italian territory. Rome expands its territory and wins the battle for supremacy in the Mediterranean. It surely went on the road to a great power.
Around 150 BC, the Roman Republic began to gain power and put the Greek city-state under power, affecting other countries besides Europe.
Detailed World History B Yamakawa Shuppansha p.45
Let's take a look at the impact that Rome has had on the countries. It should be noted that Rome made a big change in neighboring countries just before the change from republican government to imperial government.
The destruction of the Seleucid and Ptolemaic dynasties
Seleucid when Rome was big enough to exert influence in the Middle East Remains in one of many countries that dominate only part of the Middle East, but the Roman Republic was the last to end the era of the Seleucid dynasty.
Multiple countries from the territory of control ( Kingdom of Bactria, Parthia, Pergamon ) Independence and internal conflict are also weakening, and the Seleucid dynasty was destroyed by Roman Pompey in 64 BC.
Ptolemaic dynasty Is one of the countries influenced by Rome. As the influence of Rome increased, the Ptolemaic dynasty became a subordinate nation of Rome, and eventually it was involved in the civil war and was destroyed.
You may have heard that Cleopatra used his marriage to keep the country alive during this pre-destruction affair.
Conflict with Parthian
From Parthian (wikipedia)
Parthian Is a important place for east-west trade .. Located on the Silk Road and sandwiched between the great nations of Rome in the west and Han in the east, wealth is easy to gather and it is easy to be noticed by the surroundings It was in.
Meanwhile, the Roman Republic has advanced to Syria and Iraq. Conflicts began in Rome and Parthian over the Armenia and the Tigris-Euphrates river basin between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea to the east of the Anatolian Peninsula, and in fact many battles will be fought, including the Battle of Carrhae in 53 BC. ..
Parthia won and lost in the war with Rome, and was weakened by the fight for the throne in the country.
Sasanian in Parthian territory as these countries in West Asia and Egypt are weakening. Was born.
Let's take a look at the Sasanian Empire
Sasanian Is based on agriculture Iranians Ardashir I Was founded in 226 by.
Basically, the Sassanid dynasty follows the Parthian territory. Do the Sasanians have more eastern territory? It's a difference in degree.
Since the place is almost the same as the Parthian Empire, there is a high possibility that problems in governing the country that emerged in the Parthian Empire will occur in the Sasanian Empire.
Speaking of the problems of Parthian Empire, a strategic point of trade,
- Because wealth is gathered, it is easy to be targeted by neighboring countries and ethnic groups
- It is easy for multiple races to gather and there is little awareness as a country
These two points stand out.
What is the big difference between the Sasanian Empire and the Parthian Empire?
Of the Parthian problems mentioned earlier, "easy to be targeted by the surroundings" is just a matter of repelling the enemy country, but the less cohesive it is, the less power it can bounce off. The only point that needs to be improved is this one, which is "cohesive as a country."
So the Sasanian Empire went to "get together as a country".
Zoroastrianism
To be stipulated in the state religion. Zoroastrianism Speaking of which, the religion worshiped by the Achaemenid Persian royalty of Iranian descent around the middle of the 6th century BC (Cyrus II and Darius the Great are representatives of the Achaemenid Empire). It has been worshiped by the Iranians for a long time, and almost 800 years later, it reappeared on the front stage of world history.
Is it worth setting the state religion like that? Sasanian Defeated the Roman army that invaded Syria during the time of the second emperor, Shapur I, and captured the Roman emperor Valerian at that time.
It is an unprecedented big incident that the emperor was captured by the enemy country in the Roman emperor, and it is considered as an incident that symbolizes the decline of national power, but I will omit it because I will write it in an article focusing on Rome. .. The destination of this Roman emperor is said to be the Bishapur ruins.
Western Roman Empire in 395, more than 100 years after it was suspected that Rome's national power had declined. And Visants Empire Divided into (Byzantine Empire).
It was the Byzantine Empire (Eastern Roman Empire) that fought against the Sassanid Empire after the division of Rome, but the Sassanid Empire also advanced in this battle with the Byzantine Empire and reached peace.
As time passed, the nomadic Hephthalites of Central Asia began to appear in the northeastern part of the Sasanian Empire in the latter half of the 5th century. This invasion of Hephthalites will be repelled and destroyed by forming an alliance with the Turks of Turkish nomads.
As mentioned above, the Sasanian Empire seemed to be doing well, but the Sasanian Empire is also beginning to show its collapse.
What is the impact of the conflict between the Sassanid Empire and the Visant Empire? ??
Although the Sassanid Empire and the Visants Empire once made peace, the battle continues due to conflicting interests.
The areas around Syria and Anatolia, which were originally prosperous in trade, were devastated by the battle between the two countries. As trade relay points continue to fight, security becomes worse and it becomes difficult to exchange goods and money.
Furthermore, the Red Sea trade supported by the Bysants Empire declined due to the deterioration of the war situation of the Bysants Empire.
Such a situation continued, and the frustrated merchants decided to open up a detour. Various products have come to be carried via the "Oasis Road" and "Sea Road".
The importance of the desert main Arabian Peninsula, which had not been looked at until then, will increase at once .. Especially Mecca Then big merchants monopolized the international relay trade and became big profits.
The birth of Islam
Mecca Was born in the Quraysh Muhammad .. He realized that around 610 he was the only prophet who received the word of God Allah, Islam . Was born.
Muhammad criticizes the monopoly of wealth and is an outcast in Mecca, where there are many merchants. He is persecuted and moves with a few believers to Medina, in the northern part of Mecca.
From here, Muslims will make a great leap forward.
Introduction He ruled Mecca bloodlessly in 630, and after that rule, the Arab tribes came under the control of Muhammad and realized a loose unification of the Arabian Peninsula . I was allowed to.
Sasanian Empire and Islam
Although the Sassanid Empire had an advantage in the battle with the Visants Empire, the long-lasting war and the drastic decrease in trade, as well as the change in the center of trade, made it difficult for wealth to gather, and gradually declined and rebelled one after another. It was at the beginning of the 7th century.
When this happens, it is common for the country to become tattered, and the civil war of succession to the throne causes floods and the disappearance of suitable agricultural land ...
A community connected by Islam will expand its power in the midst of nothing.
The teachings of Islam include not only religious life but also all political, social and cultural activities. Many would have wanted to change their religion's beliefs by hearing the devastated reality and doctrines that forbid the monopoly of wealth, even if they believed in religion.
Sasanian that brought together people who were originally disjointed by religion It was a huge pain for me.
Thus the Sassanid Empire was conquered and destroyed by the Arabs of the Islamic forces in the middle of the 7th century.