THE NATURE OF CONTINUITYMuslims tended to resist at first. Essentially the people of Iraq con-
tinued to act toward their new rulers just as they had behaved toward
the Sasanians and expected that the Muslims would want them to do
so. In this way Muslim Arabs were introduced to Persian rituals of
hospitality, table manners, commercial practices, and the game of
chess. It was the Jews themselves who brought the exilarchate to the
attention of the Muslim authorities because of their own internal
quarrel. This process is clearest, however, in the effect of the continuing
conflict between the Nestorian factions to recreate the conditions of
the late Sasanian period because they appealed to state intervention.
They allowed scarcely any break at all in the pattern, which appeared
as early as 640 at Nasibin, was in full operation by the reign of
Mu'awiya, and had more or less forced the Islamic government to
apply Sasanian methods toward them by the end of the second civil
war.
One of the major consequences of all of this was the incorporation
of the main institutional forms of Sasanian civil and military admin-
istration into early Islamic government. The survival of the Sasanian
personnel and administrative units at the lower levels meant that Sa-
sanian administrative practices survived there directly. Sasanian offi-
cials who survived into the Islamic period gradually introduced Sa-
sanian practices at the higher levels. The weight of evidence suggests
that a group of Persian and Arab administrators were responsible for
this process, which began at Basra when Ziyad was administrative
assistant to Abii Miisa al-Ash'ari with the organization of the Islamic
military d'wiin. Consequently the Muslims maintained the Sasanian
system of military supply in cash and kind. Provisions for the army
were kept in storehouses, and cash payments were organized through
a muster-roll by means of inspections or reviews of the troops. The
office of military scribe was maintained by the Muslims because it was
associated with this institution, and the Muslims also continued the
Sasanian office of vice governor (M.P. piidhghospiin, Ar. khaltfa).
Muslims recognized the difference between military and nonmilitary
administrative districts, and the distinction between civilian and mil-
itary officials survived at first at the level below the amlr. Along with
these aspects of military administration, the Muslims adopted the use
of Sasanian military equipment and tactics, the use of military slaves
and mercenaries, and the use of garrison troops as a local guard or
police force of the Sasanian kind. Muslims also revived the Sasanian
use of confidential officers and informers which was institutionalized
in the state post (L. barM).