Final answer:
Aksum and Himyar were influenced by their relationships with the Byzantine and Sasanian empires through trade, alliances, and culture, particularly through the spread of Christianity and Judaism. Their religious identities played a significant role in shaping their relationships and cultural exchanges with these larger empires.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Aksum and Himyar kingdoms were significantly influenced by their relationships with the larger Byzantine and Sasanian empires through trade, culture, and alliances. These peripheral kingdoms on the trade routes were involved in the exchange of goods as well as cultural interactions, such as the spread of religions like Christianity in Aksum and Judaism in Himyar. Military campaigns also played a role in the relations among these states, with the Aksumite conquest in southern Arabia being a notable example of religiously motivated military expansion. The choice that best fits these facts is: (b) They were influenced by trade, culture, and alliances with these powers.
Religion played a significant role in the cultures of both Aksum and Himyar during Late Antiquity. For instance, Aksum's conversion to Christianity under King Ezana strengthened its relationship with the Byzantine Empire and provided a religious basis for its military engagement in the Arabian Peninsula. Meanwhile, the conversion of the Himyarite kingdom to Judaism created a strong religious identity that influenced its governance and cultural practices. The influence of Byzantines' Christianity and Sasanians' Zoroastrianism had ripple effects across the region, which also interacted with local religious developments.