Al-Akhtal

Ghiyath ibn Ghawth, famous by his epithet Al-Akhtal, was born into the powerful Arab Christian tribe of Banu Taghlib in northern Mesopotamia. Renowned for his uncompromising pride in his Christian faith—he wore a large golden cross around his neck at the caliphal court—he became the indispensable panegyrist and propagandist of the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus.

Together with his celebrated rivals Jarir and Farazdaq, Al-Akhtal formed the supreme triad of classical Umayyad poets. His majestic odes, celebrated for their linguistic purity, aristocratic dignity, and fierce tribal loyalty, set the benchmark for classical Arabic court poetry for centuries.