HIST 210: The Early Middle Ages, 284–1000 with Prof. Paul H. Freedman

Lecture 16 - The Splendor of the Abbasid Period [October 31, 2011]

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Overview:

In this lecture, Professor Freedman discusses the Abbasid dynasty, which ruled the Islamic Caliphate beginning in 750. The Abbasids moved the capitol of the Caliphate to the newly-built city of Baghdad and created a state characterized by a strong administration and well-organized tax system. The state sponsored a cultural flowering, based in part on the translation of classical Greek and Roman texts. Professor Freedman ends the lecture by focusing on developments in mathematics and astronomy.

Assignments:

Wickham, The Inheritance of Rome, pp. 318-347.