A Study of Iranian Physicians’ Immigration to Baghdad: The Effects of Immigration on the Prosperity of Medicine Practice in the Abbasid Period

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

2 Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

The conquest of Iran by the Arab armies resulted in radical political and social changes in Iran. The connection of local rulers to the Caliph in Baghdad and the peaceful coexistence of different ethnic groups facilitated the movement of the population in other parts of this territory. Population movement has always brought the transfer of knowledge and culture, and host countries have welcomed immigrants with high scientific degrees. Therefore, such immigrants play a crucial role in advancing that science in the new territory. Physicians’ migration from Jundishapur to Baghdad, the center of the caliphate, is an excellent example of this situation. 
This phenomenon resulted in (a) Iranian medicine transfer, (b) hospital construction, (c) medical textbooks translation, and (d) medicine’s advancement in Baghdad. The primary purpose of this research was to examine the migration of Iranian physicians and their role in transferring Iranian medicine to Baghdad and its consequences. The results of this study were as follows:  (a) the ease of movement after the conquests, (b) the migration of Jundishapuri doctors to Baghdad, and (c) the invitation and religious tolerance of the Abbasid caliphs for doctors, which led to the prosperity of medicine in Baghdad and the Islamic world. Although Jundishapur University lost its prestige due to the migration of physicians to Baghdad, and such reputation disappeared later, medical science continued to exist in Baghdad and made significant progress.

Keywords

References

  1. Afzal ul-Mulk, G.H., 1982. Afzal al-Tawarikh. Edited by M. Ethdea and S. Saadvandian, Tehran: University of Tehran press.
  2. Azarnoosh, A., 1995. Al-Bakhtishu’a. In: Big Islamic Encyclopedia. Under the upervision of K. Mousavi Bejnordi. Vol. 1. Tehran: Big Islamic Encyclopedia Center.
  3. Balādhurī, A., 1985. Futuh al-Buldan. Beirut: Dar al-Hilal.
  4. Browne, E., 1972. Islamic Medicine. Translated by M. Rajab Niya. Tehran: Book Translation and Publishing Company.
  5. Christensen, A., 2005. Iran during the Sasanian era. Translated by R. Yasmi. Tehran: Sade Masazer Publications.
  6. Darmesteter, J., 2005. Collection of Zoroastrian Laws (Vendidad Avesta). Translated by M. Javan. 2nd Edition. Tehran: Dunyai Kitab Publications.
  7. Dinkard, The third book of Dinkard, 2002. The forty-sixth Karde. Translated by F. Fazetli. Tehran: Farhang Dehkhoda.
  8. Dinvari, A., 1992. Akhbar al-Twal. Translated by M. Mahdavi Damghani. Tehran: Nei Publishing.
  9. Elgood, C., 1977. A Medical history of Persia. Translated by B. Farqani. Tehran: Amirkabir Publishing.
  10. Farnbagh Dadavieh, 2015. Bondahesh. Translated by M. Bahar. Tehran: Tos Publications.
  11. Fry, R., 1984. The Golden Age of Persia. Translated by M. Rajabnia. 2nd Edition. Tehran: Soroush Publications.
  12. Hunayn bin Ishaq, 1976. Resale Hunayn bin Ishaq’s darbareh jalinoos. Translated by M. Mohaghegh. Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publications.
  13. Ibn Abī Usaybi’a, 1970. Uyūn al-anbā fi tabaqāt al-atibba. Translated by S.J. Ghadban and M. Najmabadi. Vol. 1. Tehran: University of Tehran Press.
  14. Ibn al-’Ibri, A., 1985. Tarikh mokhtasar Al-doval. Translated by M.A. Tajpour and H. Riazi. 1st Edition. Tehran: Information Publications.
  15. Ibn al-Nadīm, M., 2002. The Fihrist of al-Nadīm. Translated by M.R. Tajadod, Tehran: Asatir Publishing House.
  16. Ibn Athir, A., 1992. Al-Kamil fi at-Tarikh. Vol. 4. Tehran: Scientific Publications.
  17. Ibn Juljul, S.A., 1970. Les générations des médecins et des sages (Tabaqat al-atibba wal-hukama). Tehran: Tehran University Press.
  18. Jahshiari, A.M., 1975. Al-Vozara v al-Kottab. Translated by A. Tabatabai. Tehran: Dunyai Kitab Publications.
  19. Mohammadi Malayeri, M., 2000. Iranian Civilization and Culture: Before Islam and Its Impact on Islamic Civilization and Arab Literature. Vol. 3. Tehran: Toos Publications.
  20. Mustawfi, H., 1983. Ta’ríkh-i-guzída (Selected History). Translated by A.H. Navaei. Tehran: Amir Kabir Publications.
  21. Najmabadi, M., 1987. The history of medicine in post-Islamic Iran (from the rise of Islam to the Mongol invasion). Vol. 2. Tehran: Tehran University Press.
  22. Najmabadi, M., 1992. History of medicine in Iran before Islam. Vol. 1. Tehran: Tehran University Press.
  23. Nasr, S.H., 1980. Science and Civilization in Islam. Translated by A. Aram. Tehran: Khwarazmi Publishing Company.
  24. O’Leary, D.E., 1995. How Greek Science Passed to the Arabs. Translated by A. Aram. Tehran: Tehran University Press.
  25. Qifṭī, J., 1992. Tarikh al-Hukama Qafti. Translated by B. Darai. Tehran: Tehran University Press.
  26. Qudāmeh ibn Jaʿfar, 1981. Al-Kharaj v Sanaa al-Katab. Baghdad: Dar al-Rashid.
  27. Ravandi, M., 1975. Tarikh-e Ejtemaei-ye Iran. Vol. 1. Tehran: Amir Kabir Publications.
  28. Safa, Z., 1992. Tarekh olum aghli dar tamadon eslami ta avaset gharn panjom. Vol. 1. Tehran: Tehran University Press.
  29. Samerai, K., 1984. Mokhtasar al-Tarikh Tibb. Part 1. Baghdad: Dar al-Harba.
  30. Sedigh, I., 1976. Tarikh Farhang Iran. Tehran: Book publishing company.
  31. Sezgin, F., 2001. The History of Arabic Literature, Medicine, Pharmacy, Zoology, Veterinary Medicine. Vol. 3. Tehran: Ministry of Culture and Islamic Guidance Printing and Publishing.
  32. Tabari, M., 1978. History of al-Tabari. Translated by A.Q. Payandeh. Vols. 2, 3 and 5. Tehran: Farhang Iran Foundation Publications.
  33. Takmil Homayoun, N., 1989. Amozesh Aali dar eran bastan. Journal of Historical Research, Fall, Number 2, pp. 305-354.
  34. Tha’alibi, A., 1989. Tarikh Thaalabi. Translated by M. Fazaeli. Tehran: Aggar Publishing House.
  35. Yaqubi, A., 1987. Tarikh Yaqubi. Translated by M.E. Aiti. Vol. 1. Tehran: Scientific and Cultural Publishing Company.
  36. Zaydan, J., 1954. History of Islamic Civilization. Translated by A. Javaher Kalam. Vol. 3. Tehran: Amirkabir Press Institute.
Journal of Research on History of Medicine
Volume 11, Issue 3
August 2022
Pages 181-196

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics