Empires and Communities in the Post-Roman and Islamic World, C. 400-1000 CE

This book explores how empires affect smaller communities, such as ethnic groups, religious communities, and local or peripheral populations. It raises questions about how these communities were integrated into larger imperial edifices, the dialectic between empires and particular communities, and the impact of religious discourses or practices on identity. The book focuses on the post-Roman Mediterranean and combines individual approaches with collaborative perspectives to advance comparative studies on pre-modern empires.

\n Format: Hardback
\n Length: 464 pages
\n Publication date: 17 September 2021
\n Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc
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This book delves into the profound impact of empires on smaller communities, encompassing ethnic groups, religious communities, and local or peripheral populations. It raises crucial questions about the integration of these diverse communities within larger imperial structures and the complex dynamics that arise from the interplay between empires and specific communities. The book explores how religious discourses and practices either reinforced or challenged imperial pretenses, shaping the construction of identities and the ways in which individuals and groups perceived themselves within the imperial framework. It examines the experiences of various groups, such as Egyptians under Islamic rule, Yemenis within an Arab identity, Aquitanians within the Carolingian empire, Jews within the Fatimid Caliphate, and the aftermath of the dissolution of Western Rome and the Abbasid Caliphate, which led to the emergence of different types of polities.

The book adopts a comparative perspective, examining political structures in the Latin West, Byzantium, and the early Islamic world. It highlights the suitability of the post-Roman Mediterranean era for studying the expansive and erosive dynamics of empires, as well as their interaction with smaller communities. By avoiding a singular overarching model and eschewing the Western notions of empire, the volume combines individual approaches with a collaborative perspective, fostering a comprehensive understanding of the complex interplay between empires and diverse communities.

\n Weight: 830g\n
Dimension: 166 x 244 x 36 (mm)\n
ISBN-13: 9780190067946\n \n