My son, who is reading Bernard Lewis’ — The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 years. Sent me this quote from it, and I thought it pretty amazing.
The most direct route to the Mediterranean lands to the further east lay through the territories ruled or dominated by Persia. But there were obvious advantages, both economic and strategic, in developing routes beyond the reach of Persian arms … The Roman, and then Byzantine interests, was to establish and preserve these external commercial links with China and with India, thus bypassing the Persian-dominated center. The Persian Empire tried to use its position athwart the transit routes to control Byzantine trade, so as to exploit it in times of peace, or stop it in times of war.
Some things never change.
The prolonged rivalry between Rome and Zoroasterian (Sasanid) Persia was for the most part conducted honorably, with respect, even when the two were at war. It was a contest between two stand-up foes, equally matched. The Sasanids acknowledged that Rome was one of the world’s two “civilized” nations and Romans expressed similar sentiments about the Persians.
Then came Islam . . .
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WSJ’s lead editorial on Iran is very good.
https://www.wsj.com/opinion/donald-trump-iran-blockade-strait-of-hormuz-4a3e2a3a?st=fbLksn
My son, who is reading Bernard Lewis’ — The Middle East: A Brief History of the Last 2,000 years. Sent me this quote from it, and I thought it pretty amazing.
The most direct route to the Mediterranean lands to the further east lay through the territories ruled or dominated by Persia. But there were obvious advantages, both economic and strategic, in developing routes beyond the reach of Persian arms … The Roman, and then Byzantine interests, was to establish and preserve these external commercial links with China and with India, thus bypassing the Persian-dominated center. The Persian Empire tried to use its position athwart the transit routes to control Byzantine trade, so as to exploit it in times of peace, or stop it in times of war.
Some things never change.
The prolonged rivalry between Rome and Zoroasterian (Sasanid) Persia was for the most part conducted honorably, with respect, even when the two were at war. It was a contest between two stand-up foes, equally matched. The Sasanids acknowledged that Rome was one of the world’s two “civilized” nations and Romans expressed similar sentiments about the Persians.
Then came Islam . . .