History of Wars Summary 21 - Arab-Eastern Roman War Part 3: From Syria to Egypt

As the Arab conquest of Syria progressed, the Eastern Roman Empire successively lost key strongholds in the Levant. Following the defeat of the Eastern Roman army at the Battle of Ajnadayn in 634, the defensive lines in Palestine and southern Syria faltered, and Damascus fell in 635. Emperor Heraclius of the Eastern Roman Empire gathered forces to attempt a counterattack, but suffered a decisive defeat against the Arab army at the Battle of Yarmouk in 636. After this battle, the Eastern Roman Empire effectively abandoned Syria and retreated northward. Jerusalem also fell to Arab forces in 638, and the Arab army then advanced towards Egypt. The Egyptian campaign, which began in 639, put pressure on defensive strongholds along the Nile River, and Alexandria was captured in 641. As Egypt was a crucial granary and source of revenue for the Eastern Roman Empire, its loss was more than just a territorial defeat; it dealt a significant blow to the empire's economic foundation. Ultimately, by the mid-7th century, the center of the Eastern Roman Empire rapidly shifted from Syria and Egypt to Anatolia.