The Abbasids built Baghdad as their capital for several reasons:
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Strategic Location: Baghdad was strategically located near the ancient
Babylonian capital city of Babylon and the Persian city of Ctesiphon, making it
a prime spot on overland trade routes between Asia and Europe1.
Cultural Integration: The move from Damascus to Baghdad was also to
appease the Persian support base, as the Abbasids welcomed non-Arab
Muslims to their court, which helped integrate Arab and Persian cultures2.
Center of Learning: Baghdad became the center of science, culture, and
invention during the Golden Age of Islam. It housed key academic institutions,
including the House of Wisdom, and its multiethnic and multi-religious
environment garnered it an international reputation as the "Centre of
Learning"3.
Political Strategy: The Abbasid Revolution had its origins in Khorasan, far
from the Umayyad power bases in Syria and Iraq. Establishing Baghdad as the
capital helped the Abbasids consolidate their power and govern the territories
with the help of Persian bureaucrats3.
These factors combined to make Baghdad not only a political and economic hub but
also a beacon of Islamic culture and scholarship.