In this classic study, historian Norman Hepburn Baynes provides a comprehensive overview of the Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantium, focusing on its intricate relationship with the rise of Islam. The book delves into the political, social, and cultural fabric of the Byzantine civilization, examining its resilience and its role as a bastion of Christianity and classical learning. Baynes masterfully analyzes the critical encounters and conflicts that defined the interactions between Byzantium and the burgeoning Islamic world, offering essential insights into a pivotal era that shaped the course of world history.