The Origin of Banking in Mediaeval Islam: A contribution to the economic history of the Jews of Baghdad in the tenth century

Abstract

The last few decades have seen the publication of several hitherto unedited Arab sources relative to the history of the 'Abbāsid empire in the tenth century—such asKitāb ta'rīkh al-wuzarā'by Hilāl aṣ-Ṣābi, the volumes of Miskawaihi'sKitāb tajārib al-umam, and at-Tanūkhī'sNishwār al-muḥāḍarā—that are a veritable storehouse of information on the social, economic, and political situation of that period. These works have revealed a completely new world to us: they show us, so to speak, the back stage of tenth century 'Abbāsid administration and we see the governmental machinery with all its ramifications in action.