During the Islamic rule, many cities grew and many new cities were founded. The new cities were built to give residences to the Arab soldiers who were the backbone of the Provincial administration. These military cities were known as Misr. Kufa and Basra in Iraq and Fustar and Cairo in Egypt were the most famous of them. During the Abbasid Khalifas, the population of Baghdad reached 1 million and it became an important city. Old cities like Damascus, Isfahan, and Samarkhand also developed. The cities were interconnected.
Main military cities:
Kufa, Basra, Fustar, Cairo.
Baghdad (capital city)
Damascus, Isfahan, Samarkhand (old cities)
In the heart of the city, there used to be two blocks of buildings. They were the centers for cultural and economic activities. One of them would be a mosque. It was big enough to be noticed from far. Another was a central market. In one row there would be shops, the residences of the merchants and a place, for changing money.
