Topoi Connected with Personal Names 111

Topoi Connected with Personal Names

Order of Battle (w a -'ala)

Descriptions of how armies were arrayed for battle belong to the basic
stock of ridda, futulJ,, and fitna. Such descriptions are characteristic
of all the early historical compilations. The forms which they take
are stereotypical: either "the leader of ... (formation or unit) was ...
(name)"; or else "... (a person of high rank) entrusted the command
of ... (formation or unit) to ... (name)" (wa-kana 'ala or ja'ala 'ala).
Major deviations from this form, as opposed to minor variations, occur
only rarely.
Among these units and formations we usually find the right and left
flanks (maymana, maysara), or else both together (al-mujannibatan,
"the two flanks").5 Then, as a rule, comes the main body of the
army ( qalb),6 followed by cavalry (khayl, mujarroda), 7 infantry (rajl,
rajjala),8 vanguard (muqaddima, muqaddama),9 and scouts (tala'i'). 10
Less common are the rearguard (saqa),11 archers (muramiya), 12 am -

5E.g. al-Azdi, Futii.l} al-Sham, 70:4, 76:18-19, 83:7-8, 114:14-15, 168:11-15,

194:14-15, 254:15-16; lbn A'tham, Kitiib al-futii.l}, I, 145:9-11, 201:13-202:1, 255:1-
2, 272:12-14; Sayf in al-Tabari, Ta'rikh, I, 2034:5-6, 2116ult- 2117:2, 2207:10-15;
lbn al-KalbI-Abii Mikhnafin al-Balaclhuri, Futii.l} a l -buldiln, 305:11-12; Ibn Islµ.q in
al-'fabari, Ta'rikh, I, 2353:13-16; Abii Mikbnaf-Abii Salama al-ZuhrI in al-'fabari,
Ta'rikh, l, 3380:1-3; al-DinawarI, Al-Akhbilr al-/iwiil, 137:15-17.
6
E.g. Ibn A'tham, Kitilb al-futu!J., I, 202:1-3, 255:2; Ibn lsl).liq in al-TabarI,
Ta'rikh, I, 2353:1 1 -16; Sayf in ibid., I, 2479:H; al-DinawarI, AI-Akhbar al-/iwiil,
128:6-13.
7
E.g. al-Azdl, Futii.l} al-Sham, 70:5-8, 76ult-77:1, 83:8, 114:15-16, 168:15-16,
194:15-16, 254:16; lbn A'tham, Kitiib al-futii.l}, I, 272:14; Sayf in al-'fabarI, Ta'rikh,
I, 2151:11-12, 2185:7-8; al-Ya'qiibi, Ta'n1:h, II, 141:3-4; al-0-mawarI, AI-Akhbar
al-/iwal, 223:12-14.
8E.g. al-Azdi, Futii.l} al-Sham, 70:5, 76:17-18, 83:8-9, 114:15, 168:15-18, 194pu,
254:16-17; lbn A'tham, Kitiib al-futu!J., I, 272:15; Sayf in a l'fabari
- , Ta'rikh, I,
2265pu-2266:4; Khalifa ibn Khayyat, Ta'rikh, I, 178:2-179:1; a lDinawarI,
- Al­
Akhbar al-/iwal, 137:15-18.
9E.g. Sayf in al-TabarI Ta'rikh, I, 2156:13-15, 2207:10-13, 2265pu-2266:4,
,
2456:15-2457:2.
10 E.g.
Sayf in ibid., I, 2185:7-8, 2191:3-7, 2225:7-11.
11 E.g. Sayf in ibid., I, 2191:3-7, 2249:13-15.
12
Sayfin ibid., I, 2265pu- 2266:4.

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