<p> The Roman-Sasanian War of the seventh century CE was the last conflict of late antiquity. <i>&Scaron;ahan&scaron;ah</i> Xusr&omacr; II nearly conquered the Roman Empire. James Howard-Johnston has studied the war extensively. Walter Kaegi has produced a biography of Xusr&omacr; II's opponent, Heraclius, while Geoffrey Greatrex and Touraj Daryaee have written articles focusing on Xusr&omacr; II. Scholars, however, have not attempted a major study of him. This dissertation seeks not only to understand how different authors depicted Xusr&omacr; II but to understand the man's personality. </p><p> Roman authors who witnessed the war sought to highlight only the negative aspects of Xusr&omacr; II. He was, according to the Romans, an enemy of God. Fear of Xusr&omacr; II was the basis for these depictions. Pseudo-Seb&emacr;os, an Armenian historian, depicted Xusr&omacr; II as an arrogant, blasphemous ruler. Pseudo-Seb&emacr;os, however, did not write anything positive about the Romans, either, because both the Romans and Sasanians wanted to control Armenia. </p><p> Christians living under Xusr&omacr; II's rulership also seemed to despise him. They portray Xusr&omacr; II as wicked because, in an attempt to punish them, he did not let allow them to elect a ruler. A careful reading of these sources, however, suggests these authors were aware of how Xusr&omacr; II took care of Christians in his realm. Finally, Arab and Persian sources differ in their portrayals of Xusr&omacr; II because both groups, although both Muslim, were competing for legitimacy in the post-Islamic conquest of Iran, due to ethnic tensions. Arab authors emphasized Xusr&omacr; II's faults. Persian authors, on the other hand, presented his good qualities. </p><p> Ultimately, all of these different depictions of Xusr&omacr; II demonstrate that he possessed a fierce will and embraced a vision of how to rule. Xusr&omacr; II wanted to conquer the Romans and extend his domain and be remembered forever. Xusr&omacr; II's drive might have made him seem arrogant to the authors studied in this dissertation, and they depicted him accordingly. We should not, however, lose sight of the man he truly was: a man who dared to dream.</p>

No description available.

<p> Since the beginning of the twentieth century, Pentecostalism has started to reshape global Christianity. Many scholars argue that Pentecostalism, including its different waves of renewal, is the world&rsquo;s fastest-growing movement. Numerous studies were dedicated during the previous decades to examining the spread and characteristics of Pentecostalism in different countries around the world. Nevertheless, little attention has been given to Pentecostalism in Egypt. </p><p> This dissertation examines Egyptian Pentecostalism. It presents a historical perspective on Pentecostalism in Egypt and offers a theological analysis of various movements and waves of Egyptian Pentecostalism. Taking into consideration plurality in the Egyptian society, this study situates different permutations of Egyptian Pentecostalism within a wider sociocultural and religious context. Through the examination of Egyptian Pentecostalism, this dissertation fills a notable gap in Pentecostal scholarship and contributes to the historical and theological understanding of global Pentecostalism. </p><p>