According to 11th-century scholar Al Khatib al Baghdadi – whose History of Baghdad is a mine of information on the construction of the city – each course consisted of 162,000 bricks for the first third of the wall’s height, 150,000 for the second third and 140,000 for the final section, bonded together with bundles of reeds. The outer wall was 80ft high, crowned with battlements and flanked by bastions. A deep moat ringed the outer wall perimeter. Iraq had a rich literary, artistic, and musical tradition, with poets, writers, and musicians flourishing in urban centers. Nationalist movements also promoted a sense of Iraqi identity, blending modernity with historical heritage.
Despite modernization efforts, political instability, social inequalities, and ethnic tensions created a fragile environment that would later influence Saddam Hussein’s rise. Before Saddam Hussein, Iraq was a nation in transition — from a British-mandated kingdom to a republic marked by coups, reform, and social transformation. Its history during this period was defined by modernization, political unrest, and ethnic diversity, creating a complex backdrop for the decades that followed. Understanding Iraq before Saddam provides crucial insight into the country’s later struggles under authoritarian rule, as well as the roots of its social, political, and cultural landscape.
