It would seem that the people (of that city) followed the custom of preserving the diadems of their rulers so that they could record the number
and dates of the kings who ruled over them. Alternatively, it might have
become a usage.
In A.H. 96 Musa presented himself to Walid bin 'Abd al-Malik and
offered the table to the Ummayad Caliph. Tariq, on the occasion, said
the table was acquired by him but that he had, in deference to Musa, left
it for him. When Walid doubted his statement, Tariq requested him to
ask Musa about the lost leg of the table and to describe it. Musa said he
had found the table as it was, whereupon Tariq produced the leg. Walid
was convinced and rewarded Tariq, while he reprimanded Musa.
Khalid bin Barmak besieged the fortress in the mountains of Tabaristan where two commanders of al-Jabal and Musmughan had entrenched
themselves. Wearied by the siege, both offered to surrender and to swear
allegiance to the Caliph. Both came out, and Khalid appointed a sentry
at the gate so that no booty should be taken out of the fortress.
Someone inside the fortress killed a cat and stuffed its stomach with
jewels. Having sewn it, he threw it out of the fortress without anyone
having known what had transpired. A soldier accidentally passed the
place where the dead cat was lying. He brought it to Khalid who, on seeing this subterfuge strengthened the guard. The Sassanid kings of Persia,
fleeing from 'Iraq towards Marw, left their jewels and lighter objects as
trust (with the people they relied upon). In the end Khalid discovered
here a treasure whose value was beyond computation.
In the land of Dawur there was an idol called Zun made of gold.
Both its eyes were of rubies. 'Abd al-Rahman bin Samurah prised out its
eves and cut off one of its hands. Then he told the priest: "Take the
gold and jewels. 1 have done this to show that this idol cannot be of any
benefit to thee or of any harm to thy enemy."
It is said that a person presented himself before the 'Abbasid Caliph,
Mansur, and told him: "I entered the graveyard of such and such Chosroe,
and saw upon his head a diadem studded with priceless pearls and stones.
But 1 did not like to take them off without permission." Having heard
this, Mansur commanded that this person should be punished with seventy stripes so that it may serve as an example for others, for he had dared
enter the tomb of a king, dead or alive.
This is what decency and courtesy demanded. But those who have
knowledge of history, are aware of the treatment of the Iranians by the
Arabs after the former's subjugation and loss of suzerainty, and also
know of the vengeful nature of the 'Abbasides — 'Abd Allah bin 'Ali in
revenge even had the graves of Ummayad Caliphs dug out and the avarice
of Mansur would dismiss this as a mere tale, even though it contains a
moral lesson about decency and fairness.
