Question

Why did both the Sasanians and the Byzantines create alliances with Arab tribes in the fifth and sixth centuries CE?

a) They aimed to establish a hegemonic control over the Arabs.
b) To secure their borders and gain military support against common enemies.
c) The Sasanians and Byzantines had no alliances with Arab tribes.
d) To spread their religious influence among the Arab tribes.

Answer 1

The Sasanians and Byzantines allied with Arab tribes to secure borders and gain military support, which helped manage frontier conflicts and served strategic purposes in their enduring rivalry.

Step-by-step explanation:

The Sasanians and the Byzantines created alliances with Arab tribes in the fifth and sixth centuries CE primarily to secure their borders and gain military support against common enemies, which corresponds to option b). The strategic utilization of Arab tribes such as the Ghassanids by the Byzantines and the Lakhmids by the Sasanians functioned as buffers between the empires and the raiders from the south. These alliances provided a means of managing the southern frontier and supported military campaigns, including acting as proxies in the ongoing Byzantine-Sasanian conflicts. The Arab tribes, in turn, gained recognition and monetary benefits, enhancing their military experience and contributing to the future success of Arab conquests, including the eventual rise of Islam.