Salihids
The Salīḥids (Arabic: بنو سليح), also known simply as Salīḥ or by their royal house, the Zokomids (in Arabic known as Ḍajaʿima) were the dominant Arab foederati of the Byzantine Empire in the 5th century. They succeeded the Tanukhids, who were dominant in the 4th century, and were in turn defeated and replaced by the Ghassanids in the early 6th century.
Salihids سليح | |||||||||
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| 4th century–6th century AD | |||||||||
| Status | Tribal confederation, Foederati of the Byzantine Empire | ||||||||
| Religion | Christianity | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| History | |||||||||
• Established | 4th century | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 6th century AD | ||||||||
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| Today part of | |||||||||
| Historical Arab states and dynasties |
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The Salihids were originally concentrated in the Sirhan Valley and Balqa regions, but spread as far as northern Syria after entering the service of the Byzantine Empire. The Salihids were charged with collecting tax from Bedouins seeking to dwell in the Limes Arabicus and protecting the Byzantine frontier from Bedouin raiders from the Arabian Peninsula and the Syrian Desert.
The Salihids were ardent Christians, and at least one of their phylarchs and kings, Dawud, built a Christian monastery, Deir Dawud.