Arabia was discovering gains from trade. The sudden emergence of an all-conquering prophet in the middle of a desert in the seventh century is rather baffling as the tale is usually told – one of religious inspiration and military leadership. What is missing from the story is the economic reason that Arabs were suddenly in a position to carry all before them. Thanks to a newly perfected technology, the camel, the people of the Arabian Peninsula found themselves well placed to profit from trade between East and West. The camel caravans of Arabia were the source of the wealth that carried
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