Numerical Exaggeration of Military and Political Events in the Early Abbasid Period (132–232 AH / 749–847 CE)

Abstract

This study examines the phenomenon of numerical exaggeration in political and military events during the early Abbasid period (132–232 AH / 749–847 " focusing on the depiction of armies, casualty figures, and the scale of spoils as recorded in medieval historical sources. The findings indicate that the large numbers reported in these sources were often intended for propagandistic and literary purposes rather than as an accurate reflection of statistical reality. Such exaggerations served to reinforce the political legitimacy of the caliphs, highlight military victories, and diminish the stature of opponents within the historical narrative, illustrating the role of numerical inflation as a central tool in shaping the symbolic and political image of historical events.

Critical comparison between sources reveals clear methodological discrepancies in historical accounts, reflecting the differing environments, political inclinations, and cultural and social affiliations of the historians. This necessitates a cautious and deliberate approach when handling numerical data. By analyzing these exaggerations, it becomes possible to distinguish historical reality from symbolic or literary inflation, allowing for a deeper understanding of the political and social contexts that produced these narratives and enabling a more accurate and scientifically objective reassessment of Abbasid events.

Furthermore, the study explores the long-term effects of this phenomenon on historical memory and the construction of political and military narratives, showing how inflated numbers shaped contemporary and subsequent perceptions of events. The research underscores the importance of adopting a critical and comparative analytical methodology as an essential tool for understanding Abbasid history objectively, allowing scholars to differentiate between historical fact and literary or symbolic exaggeration, thereby enhancing the credibility of historical studies and achieving a balanced evaluation of historical occurrences.