Umayyad Dirham (Minted in Damascus, 129 AH) – Reign of Marwan ibn Muhammad

In Ramadan of 129 AH, the Abbasid movement raised its banners openly in Khurasan. That same year, the Damascus mint went on striking silver in the capital.

The Umayyads had ruled from Damascus since the time of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, and the mint struck dirhams 54 times between 79 and 132 AH. Caliph Marwan ibn Muhammad, born in 72 AH and the fourteenth and last Umayyad caliph, had taken power after Ibrahim ibn al-Walid was deposed.

He inherited a state shaken by revolts on its borders. This dirham carries the city's name on its silver, and it came three years before the last Umayyad dirham struck at Damascus, in 132 AH. It weighs 2.9 grams and belongs to the capital's final years.

Details

Ref. Number: 129/5
Period: Umayyad
Ruler: Marwan ibn Muhammad
Mint: Damascus
Year: 129 AH
Year (CE): 747 CE
Denomination: Dirham
Metal: Silver
Weight: 2.9 g
Diameter: 27 mm
Rarity: Rare
Catalogue references: Klat 373

Source

Encyclopedia of Umayyad Dinars and Dirhams, p. 318

Cite this piece

Alajlan Collection. Umayyad Dirham (Minted in Damascus, 129 AH) – Reign of Marwan ibn Muhammad. No. 129/5. https://alajlancollection.com/en/vault/129-5