Qatar / History / Earlier Times up to Middle Ages

The early history of the Gulf region was dominated by that of its powerful neighbours - The Assyrian Empire in Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) and the various dynasties that ruled the Persian Empire. Rock inscription found at Al-Kharrara, central Qatar.

Their interests lay in keeping the waters of the Gulf open and accessible for trade and military purposes, ensuring free passage for their armies and supplies. The varying prosperity of these empires ensured that the small communities that flourished along the Western Gulf coast survived and benefitted from their influence.

There is evidence that Alexander the Great sent an expeditionary force along the Gulf waters in 325BC, although the resultant Greek influence soon gave way to domination by the Persian Parthians. This strong trading nation fortified the Gulf coast to protect their interests and held sway until the third centry AD, when the Sassanians, another Persian dynasty, rose to ascendancy and ruled the area until the advent of Islam in the seventh century. The people of the pre-Islamic Gulf region were therefore exposed to a variety of cultures and religions, and evidence exists of early Christian and Jewish settlements in the area, along with Zoroastrians. These all disappeared rapidly with the conversion of the Arabs to Islam. However, the traditional mingling of peoples of Arab and Persian origin in the Gulf region continues to be a feature of the modern Gulf States.

The livelihood of the early inhabitants of Qatar would have been almost totally dependent on seafaring activities, such as pearling, fishing and trading. They would have had to import many of their foodstuffs and raw materials, while agriculture was limited to bedouin animal husbandry and the cultivation of date palms.

In this respect, things did not change significantly until after the discovery of oil.