Umayyad Caliphate of Damascus. Dirham. (Ar. 2.88g/26mm). 130H. Madinat Samarqanda / مدينة سمرقند. Quoting al-Masriq (the east) / المشرق in IA. Extremely Fine-. Slight porosity. Unpublished, the copy has been the subject of study (in press).
The first known coins from this mint are dated to 193 AH under the rule of Caliph al-Mamun and are, of course, in the 'Abbasid style.
The term 'al-Masriq', literally "the East", is widely documented in classical Arabic sources such as al-Ṭabari, Tarikh al-rusul wa al-muluk (chronicle, 9th-10th century), to designate the eastern territory of the Islamic Caliphate, opposite al-Maghrib (المغرب), "the West". In the Umayyad and especially early 'Abbasid periods, "al-Masriq" was applied especially to Khorasan (Khurasan) and adjacent regions: Transoxiana (Ma Wara' al-Nahr), Sogdiana, Bukhara, Samarkand, etc.
According to Arab chronicles, in Ramadan 129 AH/June 747 AD Abu Muslim openly started the rebellion against the Umayyads in Khorasan, in favor of Abu 'Abbas.
During the three years of the revolt, Abu Muslim's followers minted the famous "revolutionary dirhams" in various mints around Samarkand. These coins altered the official Umayyad design, modifying the religious formula, either by adding the Quranic sura 42:23 or by adding pro-'Ali or Kharijite expressions. Finally, in Rabi 132 AH/November 749 AD, Abu 'Abbas was proclaimed caliph.
Therefore, given the clarity of the mint mark and date, considering its strict Umayyad style and historical context, we believe this to be the only known example of Umayyad coinage from the Samarkand mint. This mint would have been opened in a warlike context to pay the army, given the urgency of fighting the rebels stationed in nearby cities and the remoteness of the capital. Consequently, it would not only be the only Umayyad monetary vestige in the city, but also a symbol of resistance and loyalty to the caliphate.
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