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Lakhmid Kingdom المناذرة | |||||||
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c.268–602 AD | |||||||
Status | Dependency of the Sasanian Empire | ||||||
Capital | Al-Hirah | ||||||
Common languages | |||||||
Religion | Official: Church of the East[4] Unofficial: Arab Paganism Manichaeism Christianity | ||||||
Government | Monarchy | ||||||
History | |||||||
• Established | c.268 | ||||||
• Annexed by the Sasanian Empire | 602 AD | ||||||
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Historical Arab states and dynasties |
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The Lakhmid Kingdom (Arabic: اللخميون, romanized: al-Lakhmiyyūn), also referred to in Arabic as al-Manādhirah (المناذرة, romanized as: al-Manādhira) or Banu Lakhm (بنو لخم, romanized as: Banū Lakhm) was an Arab kingdom in Southern Iraq and Eastern Arabia, with al-Hirah as their capital, from the late 3rd century to 602 AD/CE.[5][6] The state was ruled by the Lakhmid dynasty and were generally but intermittently the allies and clients of the Sasanian Empire, and participant in the Roman–Persian Wars. While the term "Lakhmids" has also been applied to the ruling dynasty, more recent scholarship prefers to refer to the latter as the Naṣrids.[7]
The Nasrid dynasty authority extended over to their Arab allies in Al-Bahrain and Al-Yamama.[8] When Khosrow II deposed and executed Al-Nu'man III, the last Nasrid ruler, his Arab allies in Najd rose in arms and defeated the Sasanians at the battle of Dhi Qar, which led to the Sasanians losing their control over Eastern Arabia.[8] The victory at Dhi Qar roused confidence and enthusiasm among the Arabs seen as the beginning of a new era.[9][10][better source needed]
Some of the Arab poets of the Lakhmid court, including ʿAdī b. Zayd and Aʿšā, were well versed in Middle Persian and acquainted with Iranian culture.
The Persians were soon to discover their fatal mistake in not continuing to govern Arabs by Arabs when they sustained a crushing defeat from the nomad army of the Bakr tribes at the battle of Dhu Qar about 610 AD This victory roused the self-consciousness of the Arabs.
Despite the small number of troops involved, the decisive victory of the Arabs is seen as the beginning of a new era, since it gave the Arab tribes a new confidence and enthusiasm.