I've always been interested in many different areas of ancients. Maybe thats why its so hard for me to focus on one area. But I guess in a way thats good, my collection covers more eras and areas. Here is my latest interest. Muqatil, Abassid Governors of Tabaristan: Hemidrachm 790 AD. / AR25 , 2g o: Facing bust of Muqatil, head right, wearing winged crown surmounted by star and crescent, inside single dotted border, crescents with stars at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. U in lower left margin, APD in lower right margin r: Sasanian style fire altar with two attendants standing facing, crescents on their heads, both hands on sword hilt, inside triple dotted border, crescent with stars at 3, 6, 9, and 12 o'clock. Three pellets at the diagonals Mitchiner 282/284 A little history about Tabaristan : When the Sasanian Empire fell, Yazdegerd III ordered Adhar Valash to cede the dominion to spahbed Gil Gavbara in 645 CE, while western and Southern Gilan and other parts of Gil's domain merged under the name of Tapuria. He then chose Amol as capital of United Tapuria in 647 CE. The dynasty of Gil was known as Gavbareh in Gilan, and as the Dabuyids in eastern Tapuria. Tabaristan was one of the last parts of Persia to fall to the Muslim Conquest, maintaining resistance until 761 (cf. Khurshid of Tabaristan), when local rulers became vassals of the Abassid Caliphate. Even after this, Tabaristan remained largely independent of direct control of the Caliphate, and underwent numerous power struggles and rebellions. In the early 9th century, for example, a Zoroastrian by the name of Mazyar rebelled, taking control of Tabaraistan and persecuting Muslims there before his ultimate execution in 839. After this rebellion, the territory was largely restored to the control of the Bavand dynasty, who ruled there as vassals of various successive empires, including the Seljuks, Kwarezmshah, and Mongols The area of Tabaristan quickly gained a large Shi'ite element, and by 900, a Zaydi Shi'ite kingdom was established under the Alavids. While the Dabuyids were in plain regions, the Sokhrayans governed the mountainous regions. Vandad Hormozd ruled the region for about 50 years until 1034 CE. After 1125 CE, (the year Maziar was assassinated by subterfuge) an increase in conversion to Islam was achieved, not by the Arab Caliphs, but by the Imam's ambassadors. Mazandaranis and Gilaks were one of the first groups of Iranians to convert directly to Shia Islam.
And let's not forget Sulayman b. Musa (787-789), who apparently didn't want to risk making a graven image on his coins and replaced the portrait with the Arabic word "bakh" ("good"):
Sweet OP-addition, icerain (congrats) Hmmm, I'm fairly sure that I still only have this one humble example of this cool coin-type? (I'll check and get back, if I have more examples) Sasanian Kingdom, Peroz I AR Drachm 459-484 AD
Well, if we are doing Sassanian, we need to see this handsome devil. Kavadh I, also known for forcing his nobles' wives to go into the marketplace and have sex with strangers. I'm not saying this is the most handsome portrait in Sassanian numismatics history, but it's got to be at least top 5 easily.
these are cool coins IR, and your's is a nice one. mine's a bit rough, but your thread inspired me to reshoot it...not perfect, but it looks better.
Figured I post this here instead of starting another thread about something similar. Got this from a fellow forum member. Hormazd IV, AR Drachm, Year 5 (583) Uncertain Site (Fars or Central Iraq) AR32 , 4g pwzn | whrmzd Facing bust, head right, wearing crown with tassel to left and surmounted by crescent with |||: inside single dotted-border, crescent with stars at 3, 6 and 9 o'clock hwms' | WYHC Fire altar with two attendants, wearing tall headgear, inside single dotted-border, no marks outside border Göbl SN, Hormizd IV, Ia/1
These are neat... I do want to get one of those bizarre Sulayman types. Here's mine. I haven't really researched it yet, but I think it's the anonymous type from 776-779:
I have only a couple Sassanians to offer. Wonderful coins, but I have not delved deep enough into their histories to have a full appreciation on them: I, too, captured these to Expand My Collection... Persian Sassinian Ardashir III 628-629 CE AR Drachm 36mm 3.85g Zoroastrian Fire Alter Gobl II-1 yr 2 Delta RARE Sassanian Shapur I 240-272 CE AE Tetradrachm 10.78g 27mm Ctesiphon mint phase 1a mural crown korymbos - fire altar type 2 SNS IIa1-1a
