From Zoroastrian to Islamic Iran: a note on the Christian intermezzo (original) (raw)
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From the late 11th century, the eastern Mediterranean experienced deep changes on political, socio-economic, and cultural level. Two new players, the Turks from the East and the Latins from the West, appeared in the region. Thus, a number of Turkmen emirates and Latin principalities were established in the eastern Mediterranean. While in the Upper Mesopotamia (al-Jazira) and Syria (Diyār al-Sham) the production of Turkmen coins started in the mid 12th century, the Danishmendid amir Amir Gazi (1104 -1134 AD), who ruled in central and northern Anatolia, struck his own coins in the first quarter of century. My paper focuses on the very scarce and obscure examples of Amir Gazi’s coin production, the connections between his coins, Byzantine, Danishmendid and Crusader numismatic iconography. A coin issue of Amir Gazi with a bust of Christ and a Greek inscription Ο ΜΕΓΑC ΑΜΗΡΑC ΑΜΗΡ ΓΑΖΗC (ὁ μέγας ἀμηρας Aμὴρ γαζής / the great amir Amir Gazi) has been discussed in a number of publications since its discovery in the late 19th century. My paper takes into account the published type of Amir Gazi, and identifies a second coin. Two examples of the second coin issue first appeared in the fourth volume of Antioch-on-the-Orontes: Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Crusaders Coins, IV, part 2, Princeton University Press, (Princeton 1952). They were described by Dorothy B. Waage as ‘Muslim imitations of the Crusader coins’ because their fabric surprisingly resembles the copper coins of Tancred of Antioch (d. 1112). My paper revisits Waage’s identification, and proposes a new reading of the coins. Amir Gazi’s invocation Κὑριε βοἡθη / Lord Help, part of his numismatic inscriptions, echoes the wording of 9th-11th c. Byzantine coins and seals, and of coins of Amir Gazi’s Crusader contemporaries such as Tancred of Antioch, Roger of Salerno and Richard of Salerno. Intended audiences, market logistics, and cross-cultural dialogue are discussed.
Evolution of Sassanid Coins at the beginning of Islam
Ataturk university , a Journal of Iranology Studies, 2023
Coins are considered the most important human memorials. They reflect the cultural elements of different countries. In addition to cultural issues, they can reveal the historical anecdote of the past conquerors and the defeated people. Having an ancient background, Iran territory had not been excepted from the historical adventure of the coins. Iranian coins had various icons and reflected the event from the Achaemenid era to Sassanids times. They were undoubtedly valid all around the territory during glorious Sassanids times. They also had their validity as well as their cultural role and importance for a long time after Sassanids decadence. Accordingly, they played an important role in Muslim trading from the beginning of Islam to A´bd-ul-Mᾱlik Marvᾱn time. This article aimed to study the changes in Iranian coins from the Sassanids times to the Umayyad dynasty.
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This paper discusses the political and economic compromises of near-eastern rulers of XI – XIII centuries as reflected in contemporary coinage. An analysis of reasons that enabled hybrid coinage combining contemporary Islamic and Christian motifs is also offered in this essay. From this point of view, a special significance must be attached to the role of local Christian or Muslim communities, their relationship with each other, an adequate perception and tolerance exercised by local rulers in terms of medieval multi-ethnic and multi-confessional society. On the other hand, international trade would demand for rulers to secure paradigms commonly used in Islamic coinage, in order to allow a coin participate in both near and faraway trade.
Grodzki Marcin, “Christian –Muslim Symbolism on Coins of the Early Arab Empire (7-8th century CE). An Attempt at a New Approach”, Asian and African Studies, Slovak Academy of Sciences, vol. 23 (2014), issue 2, pp. 255-273, 2014
ENG. This paper attempts to apply to the field of early Arab-Muslim numismatics chosen elements of a sceptical approach concerning the genesis of Islam developed recently in the field of Islamic studies in. First, the theory itself is being presented in a general sense (giving its proper place within the field of Islamic studies). Then, its theses are contrasted with the commonly accepted scholarly views on Muslim numismatics of the 7th 8th centuries CE. A special attention is paid to the issue of intertwining of Christian and Muslim symbols on coins of the early Arab-Muslim Empire. The article presents an interpretation of the symbols depicted on Christian-Muslim coins minted at an early stage in the development of the Arab empire in the seventh century and the beginning of the eighth century CE. Sketching out of a new perspective is possible as a result of an innovative, albeit niche theory developed several years ago by German Orientalists revising the current state of scholarly knowledge concerning this historical epoch. The theory fits into the broadly understood mainstream of Islamicist skepticism, evolving in the West with particular intensity in the last several years. And though the theory still remains largely in the research phase and is subject to disputes and controversies, one can already pre-attempt to apply it in the field of numismatics. Analysing the historical process of changes of symbolism and characters appearing on coins from the seventh and eighth centuries CE allows us to keep track of the way in which the political and religious doctrine of the nascent Arab empire was gradually shaped, alongside its dogmatic theology and the religious identity of the followers of the great new monotheistic religion. PL. Symbolika chrześcijańsko-muzułmańska na monetach wczesnego imperium arabskiego (VII-VIII wiek). Próba nowego spojrzenia. Przedmiotem artykułu jest interpretacja symboliki przedstawianej na monetach chrześcijańsko-muzułmańskich bitych we wczesnym okresie kształtowania się imperium arabskiego w VII wieku i na początku VIII wieku n.e.. Na nowe jej ujęcie pozwala opracowana kilka lat temu przez niemieckich orientalistów nowatorska aczkolwiek niszowa teoria rewidująca dotychczasowy stan wiedzy dotyczącej tego okresu. Teoria ta wpisuje się w szeroko pojęty nurt sceptycyzmu islamistycznego, rozwijającego się na Zachodzie ze szczególnym nasileniem na przestrzeni ostatnich kilkunastu lat. I choć pozostaje jeszcze w dużej mierze na etapie badań i jest przedmiotem sporów i kontrowersji, to można już wstępnie pokusić się o przeniesienie jej w dziedzinę numizmatyki. Analiza procesu historycznych przemian symboli i znaków widniejących na monetach z VII i VIII wieku pozwala śledzić sposób, w jaki stopniowo kształtowała się doktryna polityczno-religijna rodzącego się arabskiego imperium oraz teologia dogmatyczna i tożsamość wyznawców nowej wielkiej monoteistycznej religii.
Review of Vesta Sarkhosh Curtis, M. Elahé Askari, Elizabeth J. Pendleton with Richard Hodges, Ali-Akbar Safi (authors) Vol. 1, Ardashir I–Hormizd IV, Special Publication (Royal Numismatic Society [GB]) 47, London: Royal Numismatic Society in assoc. with the British Institute of Persian Studies, 2010, 216 pp (unpaginated), illus., ISSN 0080 4487; ISBN 0 901405 44 2. Vol. 2, Khusrau II–Yazdgard III, Special Publication (Royal Numismatic Society [GB]) 49, London: Royal Numismatic Society in assoc. with the British Institute of Persian Studies, 2012, 511 pp (unpaginated), illus., ISSN 0080 4487; ISBN 0 901405 64 7.