Arab-Sasanian. AR drachm (2.30 g, clipped). Ubayd Allah bin Ziyad, as Governor (673-683 AD), dated 62 AH (681/2 AD). Mintmark BBA (Court mint). Obverse: Sassanian-Style bust right, name of Ubayd Allah in front; in margin Bismillah ("in the Name of God"). Reverse: Copy of Sasanian reverse showing fire-altar and two attendants, mintmark BBA (Court mint), date 62 (AH). Album 12. This coin: Stephen Album Auction 37, lot 2134 (2020). Little is known of Ubayd Allah bin Ziyad's early life; indeed, none of the sources I checked would venture a guess for his birthdate. His father, Ziyad bin Abihi, was born out of wedlock to a Persian concubine and an unknown father. Despite this dubious background, Ziyad bin Abihi's skill earned him the governorship of Basra in 665, and of all of Iraq in 670 (which also included responsibility for Khurasan, which covered most of the eastern parts of the Caliphate including Persia). Upon Ziyad's death in 673, his son Ubayd Allah was appointed his successor as governor of Khurasan, and later also given responsibility for Iraq. Ubayd Allah was a talented soldier, and in 674 defeated the rulers of Bukhara. However, Ubayd Allah would soon get swept up in a civil war that raged across the Islamic world for over a decade. After the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 AD, leadership of the Muslim world moved to a Caliph who was chosen by the elders and leaders of the Muslim community. Unfortunately, any such consensus-based choice would inevitably leave someone feeling cheated, and indeed while Abu Bakr was widely respected and seemed like a good choice, there were some who felt that Mumammad's son-in-law Ali should have been chosen (there were even some who said that Muhammad had explicitly named Ali his successor, but this had been covered up). While Ali would later serve as caliph from 656 to his death in 661, there was still resentment among his supporters. When the Caliph Mu'awiya I died in 680, he named his own son Yazid I as his successor, which further upset Ali's supporters. Ali's son, Hussein bin Ali, began seeking support for a challenge to Yazid. Ubayd Allah gathered together troops (around 4-5,000) to prevent Hussein from entering the Iraqi city of Kufa, where Hussein expected to be able to rally support. Hussein at this point had few followers (Shia tradition states 70 armed soldiers, plus a few women and children in the camp), but Ubayd Allah and his men were reluctant to initiate a fight, out of respect for Hussein as a grandson of Muhammad. However, on October 10, 680 AD (10 Muharram, 61 AH) the Battle of Karbala broke out. While a relatively small engagement (only about 160 killed on both sides), it was a major event in the history of Islam. Hussein and his supporters were all killed; Hussein's corpse was decapitated, and his torso trampled by Ubayd Allah's horsemen. The Martyrdom of Hussein was a key event that galvanized Ali's remaining supporters, who went on to become the Shia branch of Islam; and even among Sunni Muslims, who supported Yazid's choice as Caliph, the death of Hussein was considered a tragedy. Caliph Yazid died in 683, setting off a struggle for the succession. Ubayd Allah got caught up in the political maneuvering and lost his governorship, but retained some loyal troops and continued fighting on behalf of the Umayyads. In 686 he was killed in the Battle of Khazir, near Mosul, Iraq. His severed head was displayed to supporters of al-Mukhtar (a rebel partisan of Ali's cause), but a snake crawled into the nostril and took up residence in Ubayd Allah's skull. This story sounds dubious, but I think it is worth repeating as an example of how Ubayd Allah was viewed: as a horrific receptacle for poisonous creatures. It is difficult to form an objective judgment of Ubayd Allah's character, given the bias of most authors against him and the shortage of other facts that might argue in his favor. He did prove steady in his loyalty to the Umayyads, but his killing of Hussein is considered so terrible, especially by Shia Muslims, that he remains in history as one of the most reviled villains. I purchased this coin for its link to an important chapter of history. Ubayd Allah's coins as Governor were issued from a number of mints in Iraq and Persia, with dates from 55 to 64 AH (674-683 AD), and are one of the more common types of Arab-Sasanian coins available today. Many coins, like this example, have been clipped down to better match later Umayyad or Hephthalite standards. Please share your coins of Ubayd Allah, or related coins, or coins of other ancient leaders who are still hated today.
I chose the Sassanian king Shapur I. He defeated the Roman Emperor Valerian, held him in prison and humiliated him. What is hated by someone, could be praised by another. 241- 272 AD.
Thanks, @Parthicus . Great coin, and a fun read for a History lesson! GENGHIS KHAN Mongols-Ghazna mnt Khwarezm Genghis Khan 1206-1227 CE AE Jital Islamic RARE - only The Just Kahn in title Album 1969 Tye 329 IVAN THE TERRIBLE RUSSIA Ivan IV The Terrible 1533-1584 AR Denga Moscow mint Horseman riding right brandishing sword - Inscription in lines G&K 59 Rare type JULIUS CAESAR RImp Julius Caesar Lifetime P Sepullius Macer AR Den1st 2 weeks-Mar 44 BCE 4.03g. CAESAR – DICT PERPETVO Veiled - Venus Victory sceptre star Syd 1074a Sear Imperators 107e Cr 480-14 Rare -2
Excellent write-up and coin. I've read about the battle of Karbala and understood its role in the schism between Sunni's and Shiites, but you have captured it in much more detail. Thank you.
I heard an amazing talk on Ziyad by Michael Bates and wanted one of Ziyad's coins. While looking I found this example of the son, 'Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad. I only have the seller's picture. Album 12 cf. Pre-Reform coinage » Arab-Sasanian » Main series, silver » al-Basra (BCRA)
One of the more hated Roman emperors (at least by the senatorial class, and eventually his own army, which killed him even though he struck a FIDES MILITVM type)
Yes, Maximinus Thrax is an emperor that I didn't want in my collection for a long time. He rose as an usurpator against Severus Alexander, who tried to contain barbarian enemies more with diplomacy and bribes, and less with the army. In the end Severus was murdered in March, 235 along with his mother Julia Mamaea so Maximinus could be emperor. It was the end of the Severan dynasty, that had started with Septimius Severus. However, a few years ago this coin came along (together with a number of other fine Alexandrian tetradrachms) and I couldn't resist adding the hated Maximinus. Tetradrachm Maximinus I (235-238), Alexandria. Year 3 (=237/8). Obv. Laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust of Maximinus right. Rev. Bust of Hermanubis right, slight drapery, wearing modius; L Γ (date) to left, caduceus surmounted by palm frond to right. 22 mm, 11.81 gr. Emmett 3282.3.
Dude killed 5% of the world’s population at the time, so nuff said. Ahmir Timur AR Tanka Minted in Yazd, Persia Date of 797AH or 1394 Weight of 6.00 grams Diameter of 26.28 mm
Roman Empire Sestertius - Emperor Nero Roma Seated Bronze, 33 mm, 22.48 gm, Catalog: RIC 356 Struck: AD 67 Rome Obverse: Laureate head right (IMP NERO) CLAVD CAESAR AVG GERM PM TRP XIII PP Reverse: Roma seated left on armor and holding long scepter Large S C at sides, ROMA in exergue Some biblical scholars believe that the Emperor Nero was the "AntiChrist" or "Beast 666" of the Bible's Book of Revelation.
@Parthicus......Lovely looking coin and very interesting write up, really nice to come away having learnt something....Thanks... Here's my Tabaristan 1/2 Drachm...Also a little breakdown I did a while back of the details for those collectors who are unfamiliar with this type coin... ½ Drachm - "Ispahbadh of Tabaristan" Khurshid - 740-760 AD (Tabaristan mint 752/3 AD ) 2 gram Obverse-Bust right,crescent in right field, breast ornament with 4 pellets.Pellet above crown to right, Name in Pahlavi. Reverse- Fire altar with 2 attendants; star left and crescent right of flames.
Spaniard, Thanks especially for the help with the legends. I can't not envy people with your facility, either in Farsi or any given Semitic language. Granted, this whole thread is brilliant. ...Roman emperors? Where to even start....
