Résumé
This paper presents a critical synthesis of the historiographical legacy of the agricultural revolution proposed by Andrew M. Watson in his influential work Agricultural Innovation in the Early Islamic World: The Diffusion of Crops and Farming Techniques, 700-1100. Watson’s main thesis argues that the medieval Islamic world underwent a series of agricultural innovations that radically transformed the economy and society of the time, a process he termed the “Arab Green Revolution.” While this theory is now widely debated, it has been fundamental in shaping our understanding of agrarian and economic developments during the Middle Ages in the Mediterranean, particularly in al-Andalus. After reviewing the main criticisms of Watson’s model, this study assesses the current state of research based on the latest archaeological data. It also proposes new perspectives and methodologies to further the study of agricultural changes in the western Mediterranean.