"The historians of the age of Justinian represent the state of the independent Arabs, who were divided by interest or affection in the long quarrel of the East [between the Romans and Persians—3rd to 7th century]: the tribe of Gassan was allowed to encamp on the Syrian territory; the princes of Hira were permitted to form a city about 40 miles to the southward of the ruins of Babylon. Their service in the field was speedy and vigorous; but their friendship was venal, their faith inconstant, their enmity capricious: it was an easier task to excite than to disarm these roving barbarians; and, in the familiar intercourse of war, they learned to see and to despise the splendid weakness both of Rome and of Persia." _E. Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, chapter 50 (volume 5)._ "The dynasty of Palmyra and the western tribes embraced Christianity in the time of Constantine; to the east of the desert the religion was later of gaining ground, and indeed was not adopted by the court of Hira till near the end of the 6th century. Early in the 7th, Hira fell from its dignity as an independent power, and became a satrapy of Persia." _Sir William Muir, Life of Mahomet, introduction, chapter 1._ In 633 Hira was overwhelmed by the Mahometan conquest, and the greater city of Kufa was built only 3 miles distant from it. See MAHOMETAN CONQUEST: A. D. 632-651; also, BUSSORAH AND KUFA. HISPALIS. The name of Seville under the Romans. See SEVILLE. HISPANIA CITERIOR AND HISPANIA ULTERIOR. See SPAIN: B. C. 218-25. HISPANIOLA. The name given by Columbus to the island now divided between the Republics of Hayti and San Domingo. See AMERICA: A. D. 1492; 1493-1496, and after; and HAYTI. HISSARLIK. The site of ancient Troy, as supposed to be identified by the excavations of Dr. Schliemann. See ASIA MINOR: THE GREEK COLONIES; also, TROJA, and HOMER. ----------HISTORY: Start-------- HISTORY: Definitions.