Early Abbasid Caliphate AD 747 – AD 786

Draft list by Ulf Olsson

This list covers the army of the Abbasid Caliphs from the initial Abbasid revolt against Umayyad rule until the accession of Harun Al-Rashid.

This period saw the overthrow of the enfeebled Umayyad Caliphate and the establishment of a vigorous new regime. The Abbasid Caliphs were descended from the Prophet’s uncle Abbas from whom the dynasty took its name. Under a succession of extraordinarily gifted rulers and administrators the Abbasids forged one of the most powerful states in history.

They did away with the Arab tribal structure that had been a major feature of the preceding Umayyad regime and had excluded many Muslims of non-Arab origin. This revitalized Muslim society and opened up new career possibilities for non-Arabs, especially Persians.

The Abbasid army was a formidable force. It was a quite sophisticated organization and could draw on the resources of a vast empire which may well have been the most prosperous of its time.

The exact composition of an army depended to some extent on the area in which it operated. An Abbasid army must state its area of operations. The following areas are available:

• Syria - This is the frontier with Byzantium and the old Umayyad capital of Damascus. It is assumed to also include Armenia and eastern Turkey. A major theatre of operations for the entire period.
• Iraq - The centre of the Abbasid state. Not usually a major theatre of operations.
• The East - Includes Khurasan and Persia and any expeditions into Central Asia. At times it was a major theatre of operations, especially during the initial revolution. Later there were campaigns against local rebellions and Turk tribal groups.
• Egypt - Also includes the Arabian peninsula. Not usually a major theatre of operations.

For a list of sources used to compile this list, please see Early Islamic Sources.

Army List

Terrain in Syria and Iraq: Dry - Plains

Terrain in The East: Dry - Hilly

Terrain in Egypt: Dry - Coastal

1-4 Ahl Khurasan Division

1c Ahl Khurasan

1-2 Ahl Khurasan

The C-in-C must command an Ahl Khurasan Division.

1-2 Ahl Al-Sham Division (Only in Syria in AD 750 – AD 786)

1c Ahl Al-Sham

0-2 Ahl Al-Sham

0-1 Abna Division (Only in AD 754 - AD 786)

1c Abna Spearmen

0-2 Abna Spearmen

An Abna' Division can only be fielded in Iraq or if the Caliph or his heir is commander in chief)

1-4 Infantry Division

1c Spearmen or Veteran Spearmen

1-2 Spearmen

0-1 Foot Archers

An Infantry Division may not include a unit of foot archers if any Spearmen units in the Division have archer detachments.

0-2 Ally Bedouin Division (May not be used in the East)

1c Bedouin Ally Medium Horse or Bedouin Ally Light Horse

1-2 Bedouin Ally Light Horse

At least one Ally Bedouin Division must be used in Egypt.

0-1 Ally Khurasanian Division (only in the East)

1c Ally Khurasanian Horse Archers

1-2 Ally Khurasanian Horse Archers

0-1 Ally Turk Division (only in the East)

1c Ally Turk Horse Archers

1-2 Ally Turk Horse Archers

Additional units:

No Allied Division can receive additional units

0-2 Dailami Mercenary Infantry (Note 1)

0-1 Dailami Mercenary Archers (Note 1)

0-1 Khurasanian Horse Archers (Note 2)

0-2 City Levy (Note 3)

0-2 Tribal Hillmen (Note 4)

0-4 Bedouin Light Horse (Note 5)

Additional unit notes:

1. Dailami may be added to an Abna Division, an Infantry Division and/or any Division commanded by the C-in-C.
2. Khurasanians may be added to an Ahl Khurasan Division.
3. City Levy may be added to an Infantry Division.
4. Tribal Hillmen may be added to an Infantry Division
5. Bedouin Light Horse can be added to any Ahl Khurasan or Ahl Al-Sham Division

Mounted Units

Ahl Khurasan

Heavy Cavalry – Initiative 6 or 7 (Wave)

4 Bases - 60 Pts if Initiative 6, 72 Pts if Initiative 7

In AD 747 – AD 763 the Ahl Khurasan may be deployed dismounted as Heavy Shieldsmen. All Ahl Khurasan units in a Division must be dismounted if any are.

Ahl Khurasan in a Division commanded by the C-in-C may be Initiative 7. All Ahl Khurasan in a Division must be of the same Initiative.

Comments:

The Ahl Khurasan were the core of the original Abbasid revolutionary army from Khurasan and continued to be an effective force for generations.

At the Battle of the Zab against the Umayyads the Ahl Khurasan units dismounted and were used as foot spearmen. They are not known to have dismounted at later dates.

Ahl Al-Sham (Only AD 750 – AD 786)

Heavy Cavalry – Initiative 6 (Wave)

4 Bases - 60 Pts

Comments:

The Ahl Al-Sham was the old elite of the preceding Umayyad Caliphs and fought against the Abbasids during the Abbasid revolution, but took service with them once the Umayyad regime collapsed. The Umayyad capital had been Damascus and the Ahl Al-Sham continued to be stationed near it. Ahl Al-Sham units were heavily committed to the never-ending border war with Byzantium.

Bedouin Ally Medium Horse

Medium Irregular Horse - Initiative 6 (Ally, Wave)

4 Bases - 40 Pts

6 bases - 54 Pts

Comments:

Bedouin Ally Medium Cavalry are the more heavily equipped members of Bedouin clans under tenuous Abbasid control.

Bedouin Light Horse

Light Irregular Horse – Initiative 6 (Wave)

4 Bases - 48 Pts, 40 Pts if Allied

6 Bases - 66 Pts, 54 Pts if Allied

Bedouin Light Cavalry in Bedouin Ally Divisions are Allies. Bedouin in other Divisions are not Allies.

Comments:

The Bedouin Light Cavalry consist of the less heavily equipped tribesmen of Bedouin clans, see above. Non-allied Bedouin Light Cavalry include smaller bodies of tribal Arab auxiliaries and various border fighters along with religious volunteers.

Khurasanian Horse Archers

Medium or Light Horse Archers – Initiative 6 (Wave)

4 Bases - 60 Pts, 52 Pts if Ally

6 Bases - 84 Pts, 72 Pts if Ally

Khurasanian Horse Archers in an Ally Khurasanian Division are Allies. Khurasanian Horse Archers used as an Additional Unit are not Allies.

Comments:

These units represent lightly equipped horse archers of Khurasani Persian descent. They were as yet not numerous in the Abbasid army. Some tribal groups, or contingents from various city states, were occasionally used as allies in the eastern parts of the Empire.

Turk Ally Horse Archers

Medium or Light Horse Archers – Initiative 6 (Ally, Expert, Wave)

4 Bases - 56 Pts

6 Bases - 78 Pts

Comments:

These units represent Turkic tribesmen from Central Asia allied to the Abbasids.

Foot Units

Dailami Mercenary Infantry

Medium Shock – Initiative 6

4 Bases - 32 Pts

6 Bases - 42 Pts

Comments:

Dailami Mercenaries were professional infantry of good quality. They were primarily armed with javelins, swords and some axes.

Dailami Mercenary Archers

Light Archers or Medium Archers – Initiative 6

4 Bases - 28 Pts

6 Bases - 38 Pts

Comments:

A proportion of Dailami could be archers instead of javelinmen. See above.

Abna’ or Veteran Spearmen

Heavy Shieldsmen – Initiative 6

6 Bases – 38 Pts

8 Bases – 48 Pts

OR

Medium Shieldsmen - Initiative 6

6 Bases – 32 Pts, 39 Pts if Including Light Archer Detachment

8 Bases – 40 Pts, 48 Pts if Including Light Archer Detachment

Abna’ spearmen may be graded as Heavy or Medium, Veteran spearmen must be medium. Veteran Spearmen, but not Abna', may include a Light Archer Detachment

Comments:

The Abna’ were the descendants of those Ahl Khurasan troops stationed in Baghdad. They gradually evolved into a highly regarded, well equipped, and highly paid infantry force with considerable political influence. Some veteran spearmen of the frontier areas may have developed similar skill (but were not as influential, lavishly paid or well equipped).

Spearmen

Medium Shieldsmen – Initiative 6 (Brittle)

6 Bases - 26 Pts, 33 Pts if including Light Archer Detachment.

8 Bases - 32 Pts 40 Pts if including Light Archer Detachment.

May have Light Archer Detachment.

Comments:

The Spearmen represent the majority of Abbasid infantry equipped with spear and shield. Some had helmets and/or mail hauberks, although many probably wore little or no armour. Abbasid spearmen closely resembled their Byzantine counterparts in both equipment and performance and were often supported by archers.

Foot Archers

Medium or Light Archers – Initiative 6

4 Bases - 28 Pts, 24 Pts if Brittle

6 Bases - 38 Pts, 32 Pts if Brittle

May be graded as Brittle. Up to 1 Foot Archer Unit in a Division may have a Naffatun Light Shock Detachment + 4 Pts

Comments:

The Foot Archers represent the lightly equipped archers deployed in separate bodies. Some archers could be supported by naffatun incendiary troops.

Tribal Hillmen

Light or Medium Irregulars – Initiative 6

6 Bases - 26 Pts

8 Bases - 32 Pts

Comments:

The Tribal Hillmen depicts the irregular infantry provided by various mountain clans.

City Levy

Medium Irregulars – Initiative 5

6 Bases - 22 Pts

8 Bases - 26 Pts

Comments:

City Levies depict the less warlike portions of the hastily mobilized city-dwellers occasionally used by the Abbasids. In city fighting they sometimes proved effective, but were unreliable and ill-equipped.