CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY, MIDDLE AGES 67 



the period of invasion many people fled from western Gaul to what was 

 certainly a barbarous, but all the same a peaceful country, Ireland, and thus 

 was founded a centre of culture which during the sixth and seventh centu- 

 ries was the foremost upholder of the classical tradition and one of the 

 starting-points for the future progress of civilization. In the eastern part of 

 old Roman Empire the Byzantine power was still dominant with a despotic 

 form of government and the Greek Orthodox Church as a binding force. 

 There, too, efforts were made to develop national culture, which was ex- 

 pressed in literature, in the national tongue, combined with interest in 

 Greek science. This was especially so in Syria, where the national move- 

 ment was often associated with religious sectarianism; but in Persia too, 

 under the Sassanid dynasty, Greek science was studied, particularly Aris- 

 totle. In these countries, however, there shortly arose a new cultural 

 power, which took over and further developed the learning of the classical 

 period — namely, the Arabian people, with their new religion, founded by 

 Mohammed. 



