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Tarì - Guaimar IV
| Issuer | Salerno, Principality of |
|---|---|
| Year | 1027-1052 |
| Type | Log in to see details |
| Value | 1 Tarì = 1/4 Solidus |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Diameter | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Arabic (Kufic), Latin |
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| Reverse description | Central raised pellet enclosed within a plain annular ring, from which extends a multi-armed radiate or sun-like pattern dividing the field into segments, each containing elements of Kufic Arabic inscription. A beaded outer border frames the entire design. The reverse follows the Fatimid quarter-dinar typology closely, with the Kufic legends arranged concentrically around the central motif. The hammered flan exhibits the characteristic irregular outline typical of South Italian gold tarì of the eleventh century. |
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| Additional information |
Guaimar IV ruled Salerno during a period of extraordinary political maneuvering in southern Italy, cultivating close ties with the Normans — mercenaries he effectively co-opted as a military asset rather than a threat. His tarì coinage follows the Arab-influenced monetary tradition inherited from earlier Lombard rulers who understood that gold currency acceptable to Muslim traders required familiar forms. The type persisted largely unchanged across multiple reigns precisely because its commercial utility depended on continuity.
Guaimar was murdered in 1052 by his own brothers-in-law, ending a reign that had made Salerno briefly the dominant power in the Mezzogiorno.