The principle city in an oasis in the desert, Bukhara was conquered by the Arab invaders in 674. But it was under the Persian Samanid dynasty that the city reached its height. Its agrarian economy provided products for the caravans which extended its sphere of trade. The political and religious interests of the people were guided by a well-organized bureaucracy. Poetry, music, architecture, and calligraphy flourished. Today Bukhara is in the Republic of Uzbekistan.

Preface to Second edition --Foreword -- List of illustrations -- The Ancient Oasis -- The establishment of Islam -- The rise of the Samanids -- The dome of Islam -- The Silver Age -- Turkish ascendancy -- The fall of the Samanids -- The Iranian legacy -- Selected bibliography -- Additional bibliography to second edition -- Index -- Maps.