The article presents the ongoing discussions on the climate change’s impact on the societies inhabiting the Eastern Mediterranean in the medieval and early modern periods. After focusing on recent research within environmental sciences, in particular palaeoclimatology, it reviews the most important historical studies on the relationship between climate fluctuations and socio-political or economic change in Byzantium and the Islamic Middle East.
The article acknowledges the “consilience project” as an interesting context for a preliminary discussion of the collaboration between science and history. It argues, however, that the methodological foundations of both palaeo-environmental sciences and historical research are close enough to speak about the potential for convergence, or merging, of both disciplines. Different publication cultures in science and history are identified as major practical obstacles to this process.
Having analysed the existing sources on the Hyphasis “mutiny” in 326 BC, the author indicates the role of false geographical knowledge in the motivation of the marching army. The cognitive theory of personality and social psychology serve to explain the development of the described events. On the basis of this study, the usefulness of historical psychology as an explanation model in history is assessed.