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.