I’m putting the finishing touches on a project I’m working on about the life of Jews in Medina around Mohammed’s time. Now, I’ve got almost everything I need, but I’m having trouble figuring out what daily life was like there. What did people eat (besides dates), what did they drink (besides wine), what was the life of a man, woman, or child like (besides war and commerce)?
Now I found a book which looks like it’d be really helpful (Daily Life in the Medieval Islamic World) but unfortunately, my library system doesn’t have access to it. Any other ideas? Could be a book or website.
Would be much obliged, and will put in a fn. thanking folks for helpful ideas.
Its in the middle of the final Rome and Persian War, and smack in the middle of a Persian occupation of Syria and Palestine. The area is cut off from its nominal overlords (the Hejaz had been technically part of the Roman Empire, and even then, the Byzantines had a local group, the Ghassanids, as the area masters), and more importantly from its far from nominal trading posts in Syria and the Red Sea. You have lots of battles between rival groups, because the guys who used to enforce the peace are no longer around. You have a threat from another powerful city, who hates you for i) being too pro Roman and ii) taking in a fugitive.
So all in all, a place in flux, a collapsing economy, lack of security or stability
As for Jews of Yathrib, many of them are rather unorthodox in belief, (IIRC some of them took to worshipping Aaron) and rather powerful and influential, controlling many forts. While they cannot control the city, their support is crucial to whomever actually does and can be decisive.
An excellent book about the time preceeding is Roman Arabia.
I just checked Amazon and the book you mentioned is available used for about five bucks. So it might be worth it to you just to buy a copy. (Or if there is a university near you, see if you can access the library, even as a guest.)
