Ghassanid

The restoration under Maurice (585–602 AD)

The dissolution of the Ghassanid phylarcate did not last very long. After two or three years, Maurice came to the realization that he was not able to defend the Oriens without the help of the Ghassanids, who the Byzantines had already relied on for this job for most of the sixth century up until that point. The Ghassanid confederation was restored (even though they remained Monophysite), and the Ghassanids returned to their military ventures against the Persians. Information about the Ghassanids becomes scarce for much of the remainder of the reign of Maurice until his death in 602 AD. The exception is some information about the phylarch Jafnah, brother of Al-Nu'man, active between 587 and 591 AD, preserved by Michael the Syrian. Greek sources no longer mention the Ghassanids after 593/594 AD, although they were still important at this time and begin to appear in Arabic poetry. The poetry of Al-Nabigha says Al-Nu'man was returned to the Ghassanids in the 590s, became active again as a Ghassanid chief, and passed before 600.