Invisible conquests. Reassessing the Byzantine - Early Islamic Transition in the Levant and North Africa

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This course delves into the transformative period of the Byzantine-Early

Islamic transition in the Near East and North Africa, challenging traditional, colonial-era

perceptions of urban decline and cultural destruction. By integrating case studies from these

regions, students will critically assess the complex and often subtle impacts of the Arab

conquests, which remain largely invisible in the archaeological record. The course

emphasizes the importance of material culture—pottery, glass, and numismatics—in

understanding shifts in communal identity and socio-economic structures. A key focus is the

exploration of the motivations and reasons behind the Arab conquests, juxtaposing textual

narratives with archaeological evidence to foster a holistic understanding of this crucial

moment in global history.

I. Introduction

 Defining the geographical framework of the Eastern Mediterranean, northern Africa

and adjacent regions.

 Examining various systems of chronology and periodization in historical and

archaeological studies.

 Historical overview: An analysis of primary and secondary sources for understanding

the Early Islamic period.

II. Deconstructing the Perception of the Arab Conquests in Historiography and Popular

Culture

 Byzantine historiography and its narratives on the Arab conquests.

 Arabic historiography: Emergent narratives and their contexts.

 Modern historiography: Reinterpreting traditional views.

 Deconstructing colonial discourse on the Arab conquests.

 Representations of the Arab conquests in modern popular culture.

III. The Eastern Mediterranean before Muhammad

 Political and social dynamics within the Byzantine Empire.

 Religious diversity.

 The Sasanian-Byzantine wars and their effects on the region.

 Pre-Islamic Arab culture and its role in the wider Near East.

IV. Arab Communities before Muhammad

 The Ghassanids and other Arab groups in the Levant.

 The first Arabic inscriptions and their significance.

 The growing Arab presence in the Levant.

V. Invisible Conquests: The Impact of Early Islamic Conquests on the material culture of the

Levant

 A historical outline of the early conquests.

 Archaeological evidence for the Arab conquests.

 Transformations in the urban structure of Late Antique cities.

 Continuities in material culture: Pottery, glass, and numismatics.

 Fiscal and administrative reforms under Islamic rule.

 Relationships between Muslims and indigenous Christian and Jewish communities.

VI. From Polis to Madina: Changing Urban Landscapes in the Byzantine–Early Islamic

Transition

 The decline of Late Antique public institutions.

 Shifts in aesthetic approaches to cityscapes.

 Continuities and transformations in sacred spaces.

 Encroachment on communication arteries in Late Antique cities.

 Debating trade and economic prosperity during the transition.

VII. Settling the Desert: The New Umayyad Foundations in the Southern Levant

 The emergence of Islamic and mosque architecture

 Desert castles in Jordan and Palestine: Functions and significance.

 Palaces and residential architecture.

 The foundation of new cities and settlements.

 Late Antique art in the context of Early Islam: Continuity and change.

 Iconoclasm and iconophobia in Early Islamic art.

 The fate of Christian communities and churches under Umayyad rule.

VIII. From Africa to Ifrīqiya

 The new administrative and urban foundations in North Africa.

 The fall of Carthage and its repercussions.

 Challenges in defining the Early Islamic period archaeologically.

IX. Al-Andalus

 The establishment of the Umayyad Caliphate in al-Andalus.

 Migration and material culture evolution.

 Innovations in aesthetic and architectural traditions.

X. Early Islamic Conquests in Global History

 Situating the conquests in the broader framework of global historical transitions.

XII. Summary and Discussion

 Reflections on key themes and final discussions on historiographical and

archaeological perspectives.