The Lay of the Land Geography Roman and Visigothic Spain
Spain: Geographical diversityGeographical diversity
Verdant Galicia
Meseta = high central plain
Mountainous south
Maritime Mediterranean
Geography: Rivers Rivers run east-west, not north-south Ebro = exception
Beginnings: Hispania
Beginnings: Jews in Hispania Evidence of Jews in Hispania – Diaspora – Letters of Paul – material evidence – Council of Elvira (305/6CE?)
Beginnings: Visigoths
Visigoths today
Early Visigoths Arian – Arius ( ) Hispania endures, so does Latin
Visigoths consolidate Politics – Kingdom of the peninsula – Toledo – No hereditary monarchy
Visigoths convert Recared ( ) Sisebut ( )
Visigoths legislate Roman tradition of law’s origin Sixth Council of Toledo (638) Lex Visigothorum (653)
Lex Visigothorum “that whoever in time to come shall attain the highest authority in the kingdom shall not ascend the royal throne until he shall have sworn, among the other provisions of his oath, not to permit [the Jews] to violate the Catholic Faith; he shall not favor their infidelity in any whatever.”
Context Christian conversion efforts – Paul John Chrysostom ( AD) – Discourage Christian participation in Jewish rituals “Judaizing” Christians
Muslim Invasion The Muslim context Visigothic weakness?
Rise of Islam Arabian peninsula Mohammed ( ) Revelations and preaching Mecca, Medina
Religion of Islam Allah Koran (651) Monotheism Islam
Religion of Islam Practical ethical and legal guidelines Pillars of Islam
Expansion of Islam Arabian peninsula Byzantine and Persian empires North Africa Spain
Muslim Invasion The problem of evidence Christian narrative, Chronicle of 754 Muslim administrative document
Muslim invasion: events Raids Musa ibn Nusayr, Tariq Roderic
Muslim domination
Muslim invasion Why so swift and successful? Visigothic strength and weakness Disposition of Jewish communities
Muslim Iberia Berbers from North Africa Roman North Africa Why expand?
Aftermath of Conquest Land Immigration Gaul Asturias – Pelayo
Muslims: Global and local Berbers and Umayyads Umayyads v. Abassids – Abd al-Rahman – Córdoba
People of the Book “Our God and your God is One.” Dhimmi Mozarabs