ani ans ▁fought ▁with ▁each ▁other ▁a ▁reflection ▁of ▁the ▁rival ry ▁between ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁and ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁Empire ▁seen ▁during ▁the ▁previous ▁five ▁hundred ▁years . ▁The ▁By z antine - S as an ian ▁rival ry ▁was ▁also ▁seen ▁through ▁their ▁respective ▁cult ures ▁and ▁relig ions . ▁The ▁By z ant ines ▁considered ▁themselves ▁champions ▁of ▁H ellen ism ▁and ▁Christian ity . ▁Meanwhile , ▁the ▁S as ani ans ▁thought ▁themselves ▁hero es ▁of ▁ancient ▁Iran ian ▁trad itions ▁and ▁of ▁the ▁traditional ▁Pers ian ▁religion , ▁Z oro ast rian ism . ▁ ▁The ▁Arab ian ▁pen ins ula ▁already ▁played ▁a ▁role ▁in ▁the ▁power ▁strugg les ▁of ▁the ▁By z ant ines ▁and ▁S as ani ans . ▁While ▁By z ant ium ▁al lied ▁itself ▁with ▁the ▁Kingdom ▁of ▁A ks um ▁in ▁the ▁horn ▁of ▁Africa , ▁the ▁S as an ian ▁Empire ▁assist ed ▁the ▁Him yar ite ▁Kingdom ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁now ▁Y emen ▁( s outh west ▁Arab ia ). ▁Thus ▁the ▁cl ash ▁between ▁the ▁kingdom s ▁of ▁A ks um ▁and ▁Him yar ▁in ▁ 5 2 5 ▁displayed ▁a ▁higher ▁power ▁struggle ▁between ▁By z ant ium ▁and ▁Pers ia ▁for ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁Red ▁Sea ▁trade . ▁Territ orial ▁wars ▁soon ▁became ▁common , ▁with ▁the ▁By z ant ines ▁and ▁S as ani ans ▁fighting ▁over ▁upper ▁Mes op ot am ia ▁and ▁Armen ia ▁and ▁key ▁cities ▁that ▁facil itated ▁trade ▁from ▁Arab