| Iraq, Harran (Northern Mesopotamia) |
| Gold, Diam. 23 mm. |
Al-Mu'tadid, 897 - 898 AD |
| Collection of the Loan from the University of Pennsylvania Museum (Philadelphia), on permanent loan to the American Numismatic Society 1002.1.204 W: 3.980 gr |
 |
 |
|
Script used on coins, like that used on precious objects and in manuscripts, varied widely according to region and period. Many of the angular letters here end in small round slightly raised drops, while the letters of the outer inscription are written so closely together that they seem to form a base line, concentric with the edge. The thirteenth Abbasid caliph, al-Mu'tadid (892-902 AD) attempted to deal with the increasing political fragmentation of his empire by reorganizing the central administration in Baghdad and by instituting a thorough financial reform. His ultimately unsuccessful efforts ended with his defeat by Qarmathian revolutionaries. |
 |
|
|
| Iraq, Baghdad(Madinat al-Salam) |
| Gold, Diam. 24 mm. |
Rukn al-Dawla and Mu'izz al-Dawla Buwayh, 950 - 95I AD |
| Collection of the American Numismatic Society, 1972.288.100 W: 5.126 gr |
|
 |
|
Near the middle of the tenth century three brothers, the first of the Buyid dynasty, seized control of Iraq and southern and western Iran. Of moderate Shi'ite's persuasion they gained control of the 'Abbasid capital, Baghdad, in (945 AD) but did not supplant the Sunni caliph and chose to rule his diminished empire as his nominal vassals. Thus both in form and content the Buyid coins of the tenth century do not differ dramatically from those of their orthodox contemporaries, the Samanids, to the east, and this coin, with some minor variation, has the same legends as that of Nishapur. The ruling Abbasid caliph, al-Muti' (946-974) is mentioned on the reverse along with the name of the Buyid Rukn al-Dawla, who controlled western Iran, while on the obverse is written the name of Mu'izz al-Dawla, who ruled Iraq. |
|
|
|
