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Middle East History

Started by Draconic Aiur, February 14, 2016, 01:55:23 AM

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Draconic Aiur

I need a lesson in Middle East history

pr126

#1
Quote from: Draconic Aiur on February 14, 2016, 01:55:23 AM
I need a lesson in Middle East history
Google is your friend. Then there are libraries.
Not many historians on AF.

Baruch

#2
Wiki isn't perfect, but it is a good place to start ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Middle_East

Basically, our European ancestors lived in barbarism for the first 2500 years of recorded history, while the NE/ME was making history (most of the firsts in almost every activity, including the first time a parent tried to bribe a teacher to give better grades to his son).  The NE/ME continued to be a strong competitor to the rising Europeans (first Greeks, then Romans, then Dark Ages, then Middle Ages) for the next 1500 years.  The NE/ME has been more or less in eclipse for the last 500 years (modern period), only starting to recover since 1950 (thanks to local nationalism and oil).

Egyptians and Turks at the west end of the region, Arabs in the Middle, and Persians at the east end of the region.  These are ethnicities that have lived there for millennia, except for the Turks.  The Turks came around 1000 CE, then the Mongols (who didn't last) came around 1250 CE, then the Turks came again around 1400 CE.  The Turkish immigrants established a long lasting empire, the Ottomans.  The Ottomans were the strongest Muslim polity since the early Arab Caliphate (which eventually broke up under internal and external stresses).  The Ottoman Empire was completely broken down by 1920 because of European opposition and colonization.  The decay of the European empires, due to WW I and WW II ... were essential in the recent rebirth of the NE/ME ... and the demand for oil.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

telly

There are a lot of inventions from the middle east. Surgery was invented by a famous doctor Al Zahrawi in the year 1000.His book was used as a reference in Europe later on. Not to mention Coffee which was invented in Yemen in the 9th century.We pretty much owe them a lot modern day inventions. 

pr126

#4
Without Islamic scholars we would be still living in mud huts.

http://www.1001inventions.com/

Also the Quran contains all the knowledge humanity will ever need:

http://www.islamreligion.com/category/34/scientific-miracles-of-holy-quran/

(The infidels got the blueprint for the LHC from the pages of the Quran.)

Baruch

The contribution of Muslims to science is ... dicey.  Basically no Medieval society was pro-science (neither was ancient society).  Muslims only got into science, mostly for medical knowledge ... in Baghdad ... when the Caliph got sick and praying to Allah didn't work well enough ;-)  This medical knowledge etc got translated into Arabic, and from there spread from India to Spain.  There were a few Greek works that got carried from Constantinople to Italy by Byzantine scholars, particularly refugees when Constantinople fell in 1453 CE.  But it entered more significantly, earlier ... thru Sicily, Italy and Spain.  In those locations you had healthy interaction between Muslims, Jews and Christians.  Eventually Latin translations made it into Central Europe.  Again the major reason for science was medicine ... the first medical schools in Europe being at Montpellier in France and Salerno in Italy and Palermo in Sicily.  The next move was into a revival of Roman law ... in Bologna Italy.  The last move was into theology ... in Paris France.  The rest is history ;-)

Other than medicine, there was no pro-science until the 16th century.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Gawdzilla Sama

They invented organized warfare in this area.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

pr126

Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on December 08, 2016, 07:22:00 AM
They invented organized warfare in this area.
How dare you.
Islam is peace. Didn't you get the memo?

Gawdzilla Sama

Quote from: pr126 on December 08, 2016, 08:50:34 AM
How dare you.
Islam is peace. Didn't you get the memo?
Fuck Islam, I'm talking about way before that.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

pr126

#9
Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on December 08, 2016, 08:58:21 AM
Fuck Islam, I'm talking about way before that.

Well, here is the Dear Leader in 2009 Cairo speach:

QuoteAs a student of history, I also know civilisation’s debt to Islam. It was Islam â€" at places like Al-Azhar University â€" that carried the light of learning through so many centuries, paving the way for Europe’s Renaissance and Enlightenment. It was innovation in Muslim communities that developed the order of algebra; our magnetic compass and tools of navigation; our mastery of pens and printing; our understanding of how disease spreads and how it can be healed. Islamic culture has given us majestic arches and soaring spires; timeless poetry and cherished music; elegant calligraphy and places of peaceful contemplation. And throughout history, Islam has demonstrated through words and deeds the possibilities of religious tolerance and racial equality.”


Baruch

Spin doctoring and diplomacy.  Usually that means lies.
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Baruch

#11
Quote from: Gawdzilla Sama on December 08, 2016, 07:22:00 AM
They invented organized warfare in this area.

War starts with the Sumerian city states in S Iraq.  But the first standing army was in Assyria, in N Iraq.  But with all due respect to the Egyptians, who had their first major war, when N Egypt and S Egypt were unified, in the First Dynasty, by the first Pharaoh, Menes.  The Egyptians were at the first two major battles ... that are accurately recorded (by the Egyptians).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lESEb2-V1Sg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XRSzExQmMpk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNYZi7-V_Cw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WuqlsY1taM
Ha’át’íísh baa naniná?
Azee’ Å,a’ish nanídį́į́h?
Táadoo ánít’iní.
What are you doing?
Are you taking any medications?
Don't do that.

Gawdzilla Sama

"That area", I'm good with that.
We 'new atheists' have a reputation for being militant, but make no mistake  we didn't start this war. If you want to place blame put it on the the religious zealots who have been poisoning the minds of the  young for a long long time."
PZ Myers

Cavebear

Allow me to point out that the Arabs received most of their initial knowledge from the Greeks.  And the Indians. 

Greeks provided geometry (for example) and Indians provided the Zero and better counting systems.  Not knocking the Arabs, they did a lot for architecture, poetry, and design. 

All is equal over time...
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!