Evaluate the impact of the Sassanians on the ‘Abbasid dynasty.

Candidates will make an appraisal of the impact of the Sassanians on the ‘Abbasid dynasty. Impacts may extend beyond the timeframe but must be clearly linked to the issue raised in the question. Candidates may evaluate the impact of an evolving Persian political culture. Persians replaced Arabs in many political positions and Persian administrative methods were employed. Persian traditions were used for court ceremonial and government structures and the Persian tradition of a standing army was introduced to bolster the ruler’s power. Another impact is that the caliph adopted the Persian tradition of emphasizing the religious basis of his power and used theologians to support this view. Persian literature and poetry became widespread. In 946, the Persian Buyeh family removed all power from the caliph and reduced him to a figurehead. However, candidates may note that the Shi’ism of the Persians never replaced the Sunni Orthodoxy as the official religion of the empire. Arabic remained the language of government and many Arabs held high positions in government. Candidates’ opinions or conclusions will be presented clearly and supported by appropriate evidence.