[Chapter 11] The Islamic World
By the end of the a.d. 400s, the Western Roman Empire had collapsed. In the eastern part of the empire, the Byzantine culture thrived and preserved the learning and scholarship of ancient Greece and Rome. Meanwhile, south and east of the Byzantines, another vast empire was developing in the Arabian Peninsula. It had its own thriving economy based on trade. In this chapter you will learn about a new religion that inspired this empire and encouraged its growth. You will also learn about the achievements of this culture in the arts and sciences.