Ian D. Morris
Tidbits of wisdom on the origins of Islam
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Umayyads

The caliph’s monkey

October 27, 2016 Leave a Comment

I’ve been doing some work on exotic animals for an upcoming conference paper. Apparently the caliph Yazīd bin Mu‘āwiyah (reigned 680–3) had a pet monkey. Just for fun, here’s what two medieval historians had to say about Yazīd’s monkey. My translations, mistakes all… Continue Reading →

Animals, Umayyads, Yazīd I

‘Allahu akbar!’ reflected in early Christian sources

May 29, 2016 7 Comments

The earliest surviving reference to the Arabic term ‘God is great’ (Allāhu akbar) is in a Syriac text known as the Maronite Chronicle, composed in the second half of the 7th century, perhaps as early as the 660s.[1] The anonymous… Continue Reading →

Armenian, Byzantium, Sebeos, Sources, Syriac, Umayyads, Uthman, Zoroastrianism

P.R. and Bodyguards in Medieval Damascus

March 1, 2014 Leave a Comment

Personal security is a tricky issue for politicians. The more conspicuously they try to stay safe, the more distant they appear to be from the common people. A little choreography can sometimes smooth it over: when a head of state… Continue Reading →

Umayyads

Meanwhile, on Twitter...

  • @byron_queen March 4, 2021

    david byron queen 1 star review of plato’s republic https://t.co/lw1W4DbDAg

  • @iandavidmorris March 4, 2021

    Ian D. Morris I still don’t know what “WandaVision” is. I just assume it’s like SeinfeldVision but for Wanda Sykes.

  • @MerkelHilf March 4, 2021

    Nicole Merkel-Hilf Newly published ❗️Another #CrossAsiaeBooks publication appeared today - Translating Islam, Translating Religion: Co… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

  • @DannyBate4 March 4, 2021

    Danny Bate It probably won't astound anyone that the Greek word kólla, meaning 'glue', is the origin of English 'collage'. Th… twitter.com/i/web/status/1…

  • @Sonja_Drimmer March 4, 2021

    𝕊onja Drimmer Trying as hard as I can to hold my 14th-century students' attention while teaching remotely. https://t.co/H1D2RfCjHI

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