An Unofficial 'The Rest Is History' Reading List
377. Baghdad: Crossroads of the Universe (Part 2)
October 11, 2023
Description
“No city in the world will ever rival it for prosperity...“ Baghdad, originally a Christian village in Iraq, was chosen by the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mansur as the site for the new capital of his...
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Books Referenced
The Nativist Prophets of Early Islamic Iran
Author: Patricia Crone
Context:
Tom recommends this book when discussing the fusion of Zoroastrian and Muslim traditions in Khorasan during the Abbasid revolution, describing it as 'a brilliant, brilliant book' and noting it was the author's last book before she died.
Baghdad, City of Peace, City of Blood
Author: Justin Marozzi
Context:
Referenced as 'a wonderful history of the entire city' when discussing Al-Mansur's executions and later cited for estimates about the size of the mosque in Baghdad (360,000 feet).