BYZANTINE SYRIA
When Syria came under the Roman rule. various cults
had been prevailing in the East - The cults of Hadad, of Atargatis, of
Isis, of Mithra and the mystery cults approving orgies practised in a
way condemned by the ethical principles commonly observed - Christianity
rose as a factor to liberate the country from the Roman paganism and to
save the human mind from superstition. The Syrians found in the
teachings of Jesus what disperses their spiritual darkness and meets the
social requirements which they have been craving for. And it also does
revive in their souls the rays of hope in an after life where
everlasting happiness be the lot of righteous men. This may elucidate
the rapidity with which Christianity spread among the quarters of the
Aramaeans in Damascus, Antioch, Edissa, Dura Europos Apamea ... etc.
It was in Damascus that St. Paul saw the light of
Jesus and had a dialogue it and the result was that his enmity to
Christianity turned into belief in it. lie was helped to escape the by
the Christians of Damascus.
In Antioch, the first church was established in 36
AD, wherefrom the evangelists set out.
In the reign of Constantine the Great (274 - 337) the
famous edict of Milan was issued in 312 . The edict recognized freedom
of faith to the Christians and made Christianity an official religion.
Despite the fact that the historians alluded this edict to political
reasons, the foundation of Constantinople as a new capital of the Empire
is a clear-cut proof of the importance of the East. Eusebius ( 265-340)
who was educated at Antioch and became a friend of Constantine. turned
out to be the first ever ecclesiastical historian.
In 386 St. Jerome (315 - 420 ) moved into the Syrian
desert to lead a solidarity life. He was instrumental in introducing
monastic life into Syria which asserts the belief that " The beauty of
spiritual values persuades man to withdraw from this mortal world and to
suffer martyrdom for the sake of these spiritual values".
After the death of Theodosius the Great (379 - 395),
the Empire was split into two halves: A Roman Empire of the West under
Honorlus. and a Roman Empire of the East i.e. Byzantine, under Arcadius
(395 - 408) who lived at Constantinople in a lofty palace amidst a large
entourage indulging in luxurious life and moral laxity which provoked
St. John the Golden Mouth (347 - 407 ). St. John led an ascetic life and
was celebrated for his insistence on moral and social reform and for his
eloquent preaching.
In the reign of Theodosius II ( 408 - 450) Nostorius
of Cilicia was living In a monastery near Antioch. The Emperor saw in
him The same promising signs of St. John the
Golden Mouth, he was therefore, promoted to the bishopric of
Constantinople at a time characterized by the appearance of different
religions tendencies. For example Apollinaris bishop of Loadica (
Latakia ) stressed the human nature in Jesus
Christ. In his logic, Apollinaris was using the Neo-Platonic creed
holding that the logos (word) occupied in the divine person of Jesus the
place of the spirit which is the highest part of man. Nastorlus, on the
other hand, held that in Jesus a divine nature and a human nature were
united together in a perfect harmony but not In the unity of a single
individual. Nestorius was accused of dividing the person of Jesus and
was dismissed from his post. The third Ecumenical Council of Ephesus
(421 A.D.)
and the Council of Chalcedony determined one nature and one
hypostasis in Christ.
The national feeling in Syria took up a religious
expression. Those who preached monophysitism under the Syrian monk "
Barsauma (457) " began to propagate this creed. All
those who were harbouring vindictive feelings against the state
policy soon subscribed to the new doctrine which was tantamount to the
expression of national conscience and an independent trend of the
countries. Emperor Zeno tried to win the sympathy of
the Syrians and Egyptians in order to put an end to their
dissatisfaction but with no success. Anastat ( 491 - 518 ) also tried in
vain to please the followers of monophysitism. The love of the Arab East
for the phenomenon of the unity contributed to the spread of this
doctrine in Syria, Egypt and the Arabian Peninsula. St. Simeon the
Stylites was one of those who believed in this doctrine. The Arab
Ghassanids who left Yemen after the bursting of Ma’rib Dam and headed
north for Syria, met their Arab brothers of the tribes of Banu Salim and
others. They settled permanently in Hauran, embraced Christianity and
turned out to be staunch adherents of this faith
.
When Justinus I ( 518 - 527 ) assigned his nephew
Justinian the task of fighting the Sassanids,
this prince passed through the city of Manbij
and got married there to a girl called Theodora. This lady was endowed
with beauty and cleverness. It is said that it was Impossible to
describe her beauty in words or to portray it. This explains why
Justinian was very fond of her. The emperor
himself approved the marriage and conferred upon her the epithet of "Patricius".
Spite and rancour began to manufacture falsehoods to tarnish the
reputation of this Syrian girl who was characterized by broadmindness to
the extent that she became the first adviser of her husband when he
succeeded the throne. She could, by virtue of her courage, to rescue his
throne when the revolution of the two disputing parties broke out. The
bodyguard of the Emperor failed to put an end to
the sedition which amounted to an extent that made the entourage to
advise the Emperor to escape after the rebels had acclaimed Hibatius as
Emperor. Theodora turned to her husband saying her proverbial phrase :("
This is a circumstance which does not require adherence to the old rule
i.e. the woman should not speak in the council. Those who are interested
in the matter have the right to dictate what the
course of events should be Every man must die Once. Death to the kingsis
far better than abdication and exile. I hope that I would not see the
day in which my purple robe would he snatched from me and not to be
called the first lady. Emperor: If you want to save your life, it is
very easy. You have your ships, you have the sea. As far as I am
concerned, I agree to the old saying " The Empire is the best shroud for
the dead "). Justinian was affected by these words and instructed his
Commander Belisarius to attack the rebels and to put an end to the
sedition.
In the Byzantine age Chosroes desired to asser his
severalty over the East after the troops of the Byzantine Commander had
beaten back the first Sasanid attack. The sasanids renewed their second
attack in 541 A.D. in the reign of Cosroes I Anu Sharwan (531-579). Al-Harith
II son af Jablah the Ghassanid ( 529 – 569 ) had already fought bravely
al-Mundhir III of al-Hirah. The Byzantine Emperor admired al-Harith II
and bestowed upon him the epithet of Phylarch and
Particius. The Arabs regarded these epithets as the title of al-Malik
(King) .
Chosroes took advantage of the fight between the
Ghassrnids and their allies the Lakhmids as good reason for his major
attack on Northern Syria. The attack was a catastrophe on Manbij, Aleppo
and Antioch. He destroyed and looted these cities and captured many of
their inhabitants. The Emperor instructed his Commander Belsarius to
defend the Euphrates area and the Ghassanids took part In the campaign.
In 562, Al-Harith II accepted the invitation of the
Byzantine Emperor Justinian and visited Constantinople. He was warmly
received there and appeared there in his bright Arab costume and he left
a lasting impression on the courtiers to the extend that when the
chamberlains wanted to quieten down the small prince Justinus, they
would simply shout: Keep quiet! or else we call al-Harith.
Theodora was one of the followers of monophysitism.
She did her level best to achieve the victory of this creed but in vain.
The Ghassanid King met her and agreed to appoint Jacob
Bardaeus bishop of the Church of the Monophysites.
The Monophysites suffered a serious loss with the death of Theodora in
548 at a time when Justinian was working for the unification of Eastern
and Western Wings of the Empire. Justinian began to adopt a policy of
violence, absolute power and intolerance against any creed that does not
agree with his policy. This resulted in an estrangement between the
Byzantine on one side, and the Monophysites and the Ghassanids on the
other. The Ghassanids’ influence has spread widely from ar-Rasafah in
the North until al-Petra and covered the areas of Harran, as-Safa and
al-Balqa’. and Bosra became their religious capital. The estrangement
soon turned into enmity to the extent that Justinian II (565-578)
decided to do away with the influence of the Ghassanid King al-Munzhir
to meet the Byzantine Governor in Syria to discuss with him important
issues. The message sent to the Byzantine Governor reached the hand of
al-Harith by mistake and he got to know the bad intention of the
Byzantine Emperor. He was hurt much for this bad intention and
ingratitude towards the Ghassanids. After a period of alienation
reconciliation was effected between them.
The Persians continued to raid
against Syria since 572 A.D.( the reign of the Sasanid King Chosroes II
and the Byzantine Kings: Justinian II, Tiberias II and Maurice 582 -
602). The Ghassanids fought on the side of the Byzantines against the
Sasanids and their allies, the Arab Lakhmid-Mundhirites.
Al Mundhir ibn al-Harith II (590) managed to burn the Lakhmid capital.
The Byzantines. however, remained on their guard against the Ghassanids
who became influential and supported the adherents of Monophystism. This
may explain why the Byzantine governor in Syria extended an invitation
to the Ghassantd King and his sons to attend the dedication of the
Huwarin Church in 582, while attending the function, the Gassanid King
was arrested and sent with his wife and children into exile to
Constantinople and then to Sicily. Al-Numan ibn al-Mundhir was also
arrested by a similar device and was sent to Constantinople at a time
when the Sasanid danger died out. A civil war broke out in Persia and
Chosroes had to effect a reconciliation with Maurice, the Byzantine
Emperor, but Chosroes II swept over the country (A.D. 608) carrying
destruction wherever he passed. At that time Meraclius headed for
Constantinople where he was crowned there in 611.
The Sasanids had ruled al-Hirah after the death of
King al-Nu'man . The Arabs rose against them and against their hireling
lyas ibn Qubais (602 - 611) and achieved their best victory over the
Sasanids at the famous battle of Dhi Qar. The Sasanid Commander Shahr
Baraz headed for Central Syria in 613; captured Apamea and destroyed it.
He also attacked Antioch and could capture Damascus itself and to march
on towards Jerusalem which he conquered and put a garrison there. The
citizens wiped out this garrison, an act which provoked Shahr Baraz who
returned and killed the people of Jerusalem and drove its patricians
into exile.
From 556 A.D. the Byzantine Empire became very weak
because of the spread of disease, the excessive taxed and he
earthquakes. The citizens were desperate to the extent that they
considered these misfortunate a signal for the approaching end of life
in this world.
To add fuel to the fire. Chosroes had sent Heraclius
a letter worded in vainly, pride and insolence. The Emperor swore to
march to the battlefield at the head of his troops. In revenge for the
insults, Heraclius overturned the altars of the fire- worshippers at the
capital of Media and the city of Zoroaster.
The attention, however was then shifted towards the two Byzantine and
Sasanid capitals. The question being asked at that time was: " Who will
be the master of the East?" Until then, no one expected that the
disputing Arab tribes will be unified by the Call of Muhammad to the
faith of the great Creator. His sacred books and His messengers at a
time in which dissatisfaction reached an extent that made the people
consider the acts of the Sasanids as those of highway men. The Syrians
found the power of their next of kin in the Arabian Peninsula a
salvation from foreign oppression. When the Arab army met the
Byzantines’, the former appeared very strong and seeking martyrdom for
its belief, while the Byzantine array fought indifferently and without
any enthusiasm. The Syrian Arabs were given assistance from the Syrian
brothers and as such the Arabs under Abu Ubaidah and by the assistance
of the Syrians who resented the Byzantine rule, were able to liberate
Bosra. The Byzantines failed to recover that city in the batt1e of
Ajnadeen which made Heraclius feel dispaired and later on he sent all
the legions to the East to fight but all his efforts were of no avail.
The Byzantines attempted to resist at Damascus, but the natives who were
distressed of the Byzantine rule helped the Arab brothers to enter the
city in 635. They also helped them in the
liberation of Homs, Hama ,Ba’albak . Heraclius had to withdraw for good
from Syria and to bid her fare-well in proverbial words. And from that
time on a new Arab era started making Syria the starting point for the
liberation of Iraq from the Sasanids and for the
spread of a Muslim Arab civilization .
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