The Zanj Rebellion is not a single revolt but a series of small revolts that eventually culminates to a large revolt.

The largest of these takes place near the city of Basra, located in southern Iraq over a period of fifteen years (869-883).

It grows to involve over 500,000 slaves who had been imported from across the Muslim empire and claims over “tens of thousands of lives in lower Iraq”.

The revolt is said to have been led by Ali ibn Muhammad, who claims to be a descendent of Caliph Ali ibn Abu Talib.

Several historians, such as Al-Tabari and Al-Masudi, consider this revolt one of the “most vicious and brutal uprising” out of the many disturbances that plagued the Abbasid central government.