Black African Abbasids

[Ade G]

Hi, can anyone point me towards how Abbasid abid would have been clothed?

[Duncan Head]

The only hint I can recall finding is that Tabari's account of the Zanj Revolt records one black government soldier being wounded because he was mistaken for one of the rebels. That suggests (a) no real uniform, and (b) given that the Zanj rebels were oppressed slave workers, the soldiers probably weren't all that well dressed either.

[nikgaukroger]

I'd be careful about saying that the Zanj would be poorly dressed. Even though they were, in part, ex-slaves, they were for quite a while fairly successful, capturing towns (indeed having a capital city) which would give them opportunity to upgrade their look.

But I'd agree that it is most likely that the government infantry would look fairly similar and both would wear normal clothes for the area.

As an aside, I don't believe any 'Abbasid infantry are ever termed as 'abid in contemporary sources - the term comes from the Fatimid period, the 'abid al-shira. I may have forgotten something though 

[Duncan Head]

This incident was quite early in the revolt, so before much sartorial upgrading was likely.

[Ade G]

I'd be careful about saying that the Zanj would be poorly dressed. Even though they were, in part, ex-slaves, they were for quite a while fairly successful, capturing towns (indeed having a capital city) which would give them opportunity to upgrade their look.

But I'd agree that it is most likely that the government infantry would look fairly similar and both would wear normal clothes for the area.

As an aside, I don't believe any 'Abbasid infantry are ever termed as 'abid in contemporary sources - the term comes from the Fatimid period, the 'abid al-shira. I may have forgotten something though 

You are quite correct on the name 'abid being later - I incorrectly used it as a term for Black troops in Arab armies Nik

Thanks

AG

[Ade G]

The only hint I can recall finding is that Tabari's account of the Zanj Revolt records one black government soldier being wounded because he was mistaken for one of the rebels. That suggests (a) no real uniform, and (b) given that the Zanj rebels were oppressed slave workers, the soldiers probably weren't all that well dressed either.

Thanks for that Duncan. I have just found out my copy of Kennedy's 'Armies of the Caliphates as I think he mentions the Zanj a couple of times.

Cheers

AG