Discussion and Short Essay Questions for al-Yaqubi's description of Baghdad
Terms
Hashemites: clan of Hashim. The Hashemites include Muhammad, his father, and his uncles, including Abbas, and their descendants. The
Abbasid dynasty claimed descent from Abbas.
Abu Abbas (al-Saffah): The first Abbasid caliph or Commander of the Faithful
Abu Jafar al-Mansur: Abu Abbas's brother and his successor as caliph
Cubit: Ancient unit of measurement based on length of a man's forearm from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow
Parsang: Ancient unit of distance that seems to have varied regionally and according to terrain(somewhere between 3-6 km)
1. (Possible short essay question) How does the author, al-Yaqubi, praise the Abbasid dynasty and Abbasid rule through his description of Baghdad?
2. What clues does the text offer about Islamic sciences in the mid-eighth century?
3. Try to draw a city map of Baghdad based on this description. How do you think al-Yaqubi knows the measurements he provides?