Throne of Adulis
Red Sea wars on the eve of Islam
By G. W. Bowersock
In the turbulent sixth century, just before Islam emerged to transform the world, a forgotten war raged across the Red Sea that would reshape the spiritual landscape of Arabia forever. G. W. Bowersock unveils this remarkable chapter of history through the lens of an ancient marble throne discovered at the Ethiopian port of Adulis, bringing to light a conflict that intertwined faith, politics, and empire in ways that echo through the ages.
This meticulously researched work reveals how religious differences ignited an international crisis when Yusuf, a Jewish ruler, ordered the massacre of Christians in Najran. The response came swiftly as Kaleb, Ethiopia's Christian king, marshaled 120,000 warriors across treacherous waters, driven by both righteous anger and Byzantine encouragement. What followed was a complex web of alliances and betrayals involving the great empires of Byzantium and Persia, each backing different faiths in their struggle for regional dominance.
Drawing from the detailed observations of Cosmas Indicopleustes, a sixth-century merchant, along with archaeological discoveries and historical records, Bowersock reconstructs this pivotal moment when Christianity, Judaism, and emerging Islamic thought converged in the Arabian Peninsula. For readers seeking to understand how spiritual movements arise from the crucible of human conflict, this compelling narrative illuminates the profound ways that faith, power, and destiny intersect to birth new realities.
What You'll Discover
- ✓ Explore Arabian peninsula, history
- ✓ Explore Christianity and other religions
- ✓ Explore Judaism, relations, christianity
- ✓ Explore Yemen
- ✓ Explore Relations
- ✓ Explore Christianity
- ✓ Explore Christianity and other religions, judaism
- ✓ Explore Judaism
Topics
Details
- Published
- 2013
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- ISBN-13
- 9780199739325
- ISBN-10
- 0199739323
- Pages
- 208
- Language
- EN
