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The Arab conquest of the North African provinces and of the East meant a huge financial loss for the Byzantine Empire. The power balance seemed to shift in favor of the Caliphate. John Haldon, in The Empire That Would Not Die, emphasizes that the Byzantine Empire did resist, albeit within new more limited boundaries, because of the political and social transformations it underwent in the seventh century. The Islamic caliphate, it should be noted, increasingly spiralled into rebellion and political fragmentation, which became evident in particular in the ninth century. Taking inspiration from Haldon’s reflections in his book, this article endeavors to contribute to the debate on these issues. For reasons of space and economy, it cannot quote sources extensively, but will refer to other published research.
