DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0184
124
Roman Africa
Abdulla Ibn Saad. At that time Gregorius was governor of
Africa, under the nominal suzerainty of the Emperor of the
East; but, finding his popularity increasing among the native
races, he threw off the Byzantine yoke and proclaimed himself
an independent sovereign. His dominions, according to the
same authority, extended from Tripoli to Tangier ; and Sufe-
tula, his capital, acquired increased renown from the presence
of so powerful a ruler. It was not long before the Mohammedan
general, with his well-trained army of some 40,000 men, roused
to enthusiasm by victory after victory in their onward march
from Cyrene and Tripoli, encamped in the near neighbourhood
of Sufetula. The two armies met, and for two days were
engaged in mortal combat. Such was the excitement in the
Byzantine camp that the daughter of Gregorius, a maiden of
rare beauty, did not hesitate to fight at her father's side, and to
promise her hand and the sum of 100,000 dinars to any one who
would slay Abdulla Ibn Saad. The challenge was taken up by
the Arab leader, who offered the same money prize to any one
who would slay the renowned Gregorius. We are told that the
Byzantines were utterly defeated, that Gregorius was killed,
and that the beautiful maid was handed over to Ibn ez-
Zobeid, who had slain her father. Sufetula was then besieged,
taken, and destroyed. The city was pillaged and the booty
divided. So great, indeed, was the plunder, we are told, that
every horseman of Othman's army received 3,000 dinars, and
every foot soldier 1000! The records of Sufetula cease
with this calamity, when one of the chief strongholds of the
Christian creed was destroyed, and when Christianity in Africa
may be said to have received its final blow. The factious
spirit of many of the African bishops, their numerous heresies,
and their sufferings at the time of the Vandal invasion and for
a century afterwards, paved the way for the final overthrow of
the Christian Church by the Arabs. And it was aptly remarked
by Gibbon in the last century that ' the northern coast of
Africa is the only land in which the light of the Gospel, after a
long and perfect establishment, has been totally extinguished.
The arts, which had been taught by Carthage and Rome, were
involved in the cloud of ignorance, and the doctrines of Cyprian
and St. Augustine ceased to be studied. Five hundred episcopal
churches were overturned by the hostile fury of Donatists, Van-
Roman Africa
Abdulla Ibn Saad. At that time Gregorius was governor of
Africa, under the nominal suzerainty of the Emperor of the
East; but, finding his popularity increasing among the native
races, he threw off the Byzantine yoke and proclaimed himself
an independent sovereign. His dominions, according to the
same authority, extended from Tripoli to Tangier ; and Sufe-
tula, his capital, acquired increased renown from the presence
of so powerful a ruler. It was not long before the Mohammedan
general, with his well-trained army of some 40,000 men, roused
to enthusiasm by victory after victory in their onward march
from Cyrene and Tripoli, encamped in the near neighbourhood
of Sufetula. The two armies met, and for two days were
engaged in mortal combat. Such was the excitement in the
Byzantine camp that the daughter of Gregorius, a maiden of
rare beauty, did not hesitate to fight at her father's side, and to
promise her hand and the sum of 100,000 dinars to any one who
would slay Abdulla Ibn Saad. The challenge was taken up by
the Arab leader, who offered the same money prize to any one
who would slay the renowned Gregorius. We are told that the
Byzantines were utterly defeated, that Gregorius was killed,
and that the beautiful maid was handed over to Ibn ez-
Zobeid, who had slain her father. Sufetula was then besieged,
taken, and destroyed. The city was pillaged and the booty
divided. So great, indeed, was the plunder, we are told, that
every horseman of Othman's army received 3,000 dinars, and
every foot soldier 1000! The records of Sufetula cease
with this calamity, when one of the chief strongholds of the
Christian creed was destroyed, and when Christianity in Africa
may be said to have received its final blow. The factious
spirit of many of the African bishops, their numerous heresies,
and their sufferings at the time of the Vandal invasion and for
a century afterwards, paved the way for the final overthrow of
the Christian Church by the Arabs. And it was aptly remarked
by Gibbon in the last century that ' the northern coast of
Africa is the only land in which the light of the Gospel, after a
long and perfect establishment, has been totally extinguished.
The arts, which had been taught by Carthage and Rome, were
involved in the cloud of ignorance, and the doctrines of Cyprian
and St. Augustine ceased to be studied. Five hundred episcopal
churches were overturned by the hostile fury of Donatists, Van-