Land Grabs
nThe empire had been weakened by the defection of frontier Arabs and persecuted Christian sects, and by long wars with the Sassanids.
nThe Arabs quickly seized western Iraq, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt.
nFrom the 640’s Arabs had gained naval supremacy in the eastern Mediterranean and extended conquests westward into North Africa and southern Europe.
nThe weakened Byzantines held off attacks in their core Asia Minor and Balkan territories.
