The Ghassanids in times of the plague: from military allies to glorious patricians defenders of Monophysite
Abstract
The mid-sixth century plague epidemic, so called “Justinianic Plague”, caused a major health crisis throughout the Byzantine Empire. However, Classical sources show that Justinian’s Arab allies, Ghassanids tribe, did not suffer the epidemic in the same awful way. Meanwhile the plague decimated the population and Imperial Army also, the Ghassanid basileus al-Harit and his army expanded their role in the war against the Sasanian Empire. Moreover, al-Harit took advantage of his prestigious position to plead in the Miaphysite Church behalf before the Imperial Court. Both facts helped him to establish his military and religious leadership among Saracen population. In the political sphere, al-Harit was given the titles of archiphylarch and patrikios by Justinian, and he succeeded in securing the same privileges to his son, al-Mundir, as his successor.
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