History Unbound

Episode 21: The Birth of Islam

Dr. Scott Swartsfager Season 1 Episode 21

With the Byzantine Empire along the Mediterranean, and the Sassanid Empire in Persia, the last of the classical empires ruled the world. Then something happened in the desolate peninsula of Arabia that would change the balance of power in the Middle East and the world.  An Arab businessman had a vision that would lead to a religion that would swallow up both Persia and the Byzantines, and eventually collect 1.9 billion people.  The man was Muhammad and the religion was Islam.