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1/2 Drachm - 'Abd Allah b. Qahtaba Abbasid Governors of Tabaristan - Arab-Sasanian
| Issuer | Abbasid Governors of Tabaristan |
|---|---|
| Year | 790-793 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
| Weight | 1.90 g |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Pahlavi |
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| Reverse description | Central fire altar with two attendant figures standing on either side in the Sasanian ceremonial tradition, each figure facing inward toward the altar in a formal, hieratic posture. The composition closely follows late Sasanian prototype designs, with the altar flanked by ribbons or streamers. A Pahlavi mint name 'TPWRSTAN' (Tabaristan) appears in the field, accompanied by an Arabic religious formula 'bism Allah' and the regnal date expressed in Hijri numerals. The overall design preserves Sasanian religious imagery while reflecting the administrative overlay of Abbasid Islamic authority. The reverse field shows typical die wear and irregular striking characteristic of hammered fractional silver issues. |
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| Additional information |
'Abd Allah b. Qahtaba governed Tabaristan — the mountainous Caspian coastal region south of the Alborz range — during a turbulent period when Abbasid control over the province was contested by local Zoroastrian dynasties, particularly the Dabuyid remnants and their successors. The decision to continue striking coins in the debased Arab-Sasanian tradition, rather than fully standardized Abbasid silver, reflects how lightly central authority actually sat on this difficult terrain.
The half-drachm module itself signals fiscal pragmatism rather than policy — full drachms were the regional norm, and fractional issues from Tabaristan governors are considerably scarcer in the numismatic record.