Ghassanids: Map & History
The Ghassanids, also known as the Jafnids, were an Arab Christian kingdom.
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The Ghassanids, also known as the Jafnids, were an Arab Christian kingdom. A confederation of Arab tribes based in the Levant, Genealogies trace their ancestry back to the Azd tribe of Arabia. They became clients of the Roman Empire, serving as foederati responsible for defending the eastern frontier of the empire against Bedouin raids and rival powers.
Modern Countries Once Part of Ghassanids
At its mapped extent, Ghassanids covered territory in 2 present-day countries. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Ghassanids's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Ghassanids in Depth
History
Christian J. Robin's study of pre-Islamic epigraphy has suggested that between the third and fourth centuries CE, the Ghassanids were the main tribal confederation acting in the Hejaz, with a base that may have been stationed at Medina. Additional support for this geography has come from new discoveries. The period of Ghassanid domination of this region ended when the Ghassanids migrated northwards, into the territory of Syria, which would remain their main base of operations until Islamic times.
In the Arab genealogical tradition, which developed during the early Islamic period (7th-10th centuries), the Ghassanids were considered a branch of the Azd tribe of South Arabia.
Legacy
The Ghassanids reached their peak under al-Harith V and al-Mundhir III. Both were militarily successful allies of the Byzantines, especially against their enemies the Lakhmids, and secured Byzantium's southern flank and its political and commercial interests in Arabia proper. On the other hand, the Ghassanids remained fervently dedicated to Miaphysitism, which brought about their break with Byzantium and Mundhir's own downfall and exile, which was followed after 586 by the dissolution of the Ghassanid federation. The Ghassanids' patronage of the Miaphysite Syrian Church was crucial for its survival and revival, and even its spread, through missionary activities, south into Arabia.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Ghassanids (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Ghassanids: Key Facts
| Capital | Jabiyah |
|---|---|
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 220 CE |
| Dissolved | 638 CE |
Facts from Wikidata Q733668 (CC0).
Ghassanids Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Ghassanids appears, with the other states of the time.
Ghassanids Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 265,045 km² in 630 CE.
Ghassanids: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Ghassanids exist?
Ghassanids is dated to 510 CE – 633 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Ghassanids?
The capital of Ghassanids was Jabiyah.
How large was Ghassanids at its peak?
At its peak in 630 AD Ghassanids covered about 265,045 km².