Baghdad's connections to the West
I can describe how Baghdad was connected to the West.
Baghdad's connections to the West
I can describe how Baghdad was connected to the West.
Lesson details
Key learning points
- One reason Al-Mansur planned Baghdad as a circle was his love of the Ancient Greek science of mathematics.
- In the House of Wisdom, scholars translated Euclid’s book ‘The Elements’ and copies spread this knowledge in Europe.
- In the late 8th century CE the Anglo Saxon King of Mercia, Offa either had a gold coin made, or it was made for him.
- The coin, complete with Arabic script, is a copy of the golden dinars produced by Al Mansur, Offa’s contemporary.
- It shows how important the golden dinar had become in the Mediterranean world due to the Abbasid domination of trade.
Common misconception
Al-Mansur planned Baghdad as a circle solely because of his love for the Ancient Greek science of mathematics.
While Al-Mansur did have an interest in maths, the circular design of Baghdad was likely influenced by a combination of factors, including practical considerations such as defence and urban planning, as well as symbolic and religious significance.
Keywords
House of Wisdom - the House of Wisdom was a library and place of learning in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age
Euclid - Euclid was an ancient Greek mathematician, who lived around 300 BCE, and is often referred to as the 'father of geometry'
Geometry - geometry is an area of mathematics that explores the shape, size, angles and positions of objects
Dinar - the dinar is the name of the money unit that was used in Baghdad
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).
Video
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Starter quiz
6 Questions
leader of a caliphate
a person who studies maths
someone who engages in academic study or research
founded the circular city of Baghdad
capital of the Abbasid Caliphate
an Islamic empire which ruled from 750 CE to 1258 CE
Exit quiz
6 Questions
a mathematician from Ancient Greece, who studied geometry
a book about geometry
an important centre for learning in Baghdad
king of Mercia
Abbasid caliph