As one of the darkest stories in the Arabian Nights and a very memorable series of adventures, The City of Brass garners both praise and discussion. It was well-known around 1900 following Burton's translation, then went down the popularity ladder for a few decades, but has been making a small comeback since the late 2010s.
Films — Live-Action
- City of Brass: Suffering a failing marriage, Antoine Galland throws himself on his translation of the Arabian Nights and becomes lost in a fantasy of The City of Brass, set in 10th century Arabia. Note that "The City of Brass" wasn't part of the Arabian Nights yet when Galland worked on his translation and the city itself is not located in Arabia.
Literature
- "The City of Brass" by Rudyard Kipling: The sentiment of earthly glory judged by Allah and erased by the inevitability of death is taken from the legend of "The City of Brass".
- The Daevabad Trilogy. The first book, The City of Brass is named after and partially inspired by "The City of Brass". The other books, The Kingdom of Copper, The Empire of Gold, and The River of Silver create a "Location of Metal" naming scheme based on the original title.
- "Maroof the Treasureseeker" (Caliphs and Sultans): Various tales from the Middle East are made one in this bundle. "The City of Brass" gets inserted into "Ma'aruf the Cobbler and His Wife Fatimah" by means of making Maroof someone who joined Musa's entourage and got to enter the city. In fact, he takes the role of Abd al-Samad as the one who opens the gate for the others.
- The Ultimate Adventure (1939): Stephen Jebson is transported into the story of "The City of Brass", though in this version the citizens aren't dead but forced into an eternal slumber by a djinni who wishes to marry Tedmur. Therefore, Stephen gets a chance to save the city and eventually becomes its king and Tedmur's husband, choosing to stay.
Tabletop Games
- Al-Qadim (Dungeons & Dragons): The City of Brass is the capital of the great efreeti empire on the Elemental Plane of Fire. It is built upon a brass plane that floats above perpetual magma and fire but can be made to sink into it at the ruler's command.
- Mage: The Ascension: There are three Cities of Brass in the World of Darkness, of which two are loosely based on the legendary city and one directly. The direct one is said to have been built by djinn on orders of three mages whom they tricked into wishing just so that the djinn could eventually claim the city for themselves. It's been a symbol of resistance ever since as well as a an economic center between the djinn and more agreeable mages. The city is ruled by Caliph al-Dimiryat, the same one who once served Solomon.
- Magic: The Gathering: The City of Brass, located somewhere in Rabiah, is built entirely of stone and brass and surrounded by brass-coated dunes, which guarantees a hot climate few can live in. According to legend, it was built by the planeswalker Fatima to be her home. She also built the brass men to keep her company and besides them only spirits can call themselves comfortable in the unimaginable heat.
- Pathfinder: The City of Brass is also known as Medina Mudii'a and it's the capitol of the fiery ifrits.
Video Games
- City of Brass: The protagonist visits the City of Brass, once an unimaginably wealthy city, now ruins hidden beneath the sands where the inhabitants dwell as the undead and vengeful djinn make the rules. The undead are waiting for someone to lift the curse, but all who come only get trapped themselves as greed overtakes them too. Still, the protagonist may make a difference.
- Genshin Impact: Madinat al-Nuhas is a location in Sumeru. It used to be a Khaenri'ahn weapons testing facility and is to be accessed by completing the world quest As the Khvarena's Light Shows: Nirodha.
- Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception: The design of Ubar takes a few details from the City of Brass, notably the armed automaton guards at the entrance. "The City of Brass" is also one of the given alternative names of Ubar alongside "Iram of the Pillars".
