The Mythical Accounts of the Construction of the Fatimid City of Mahdia in Tunisia (Published)
This article aims at dealing with the legendary narratives concerning the construction of the city Mahdia Fatemia in Tunisia. The article highlights that most Islamic cities in the east were constructed around several legends which aimed at glorifying the location in which these cities were constructed, and the commander who ordered their construction. This rationale applies on building the Mahdia city and its builder- ‘Ubayd Allah Almahdi who is praised and glorified by resources which narrates many versions as to why he built the city. Some of the narratives pertain to predictions which Obeid Allah predicted as to the construction of the city. Moreover, the narratives reported the incident of the meeting between ‘Ubayd Allah with a priest in the location of the city construction, the priest elaborated that the place is called the Caliphs Island Island. Obeid was assisted with the fortune- tellers in order to locate the construction, and the significance of the city’s status,
Keywords: 'Ubaydallaf al-Mahdi, Fatimyid, Mahdia, Mytha, Shi'a, Tunis