Reflection of Zaydi Shia Beliefs on Alid Coins of Tabaristan

The migration of Alid’s Sadat to Tabaristan and Daylam that was the result of pressure of the Abbasid caliphs, along with the subsequent uprising of Yahya bin Abdullah in Daylam led to the spread of Zaydi Shia in northern Iran. Taking advantage of the geographical isolation of these provinces and their distance from the central states, Alids succeeded in forming the first Shi’ite state of the Islamic caliphate without the permission of the Abbasids by attracting the support of the Ispahbads and local people. Hassan ibn Zayd became the leader of this new government, i.e. the Alids of Tabaristan, after the victory in Amol. Amol, Sari and Gorgan, along with the Daylam, were among the areas ruled by the Alids for about 20 years. Hassan ibn Zayd declared the Zaydi Shiite as the official religion of his government. One of the tools used by the Alids to legitimize their rule was their coins. Since coins are amongst the most authentic and significant archaeological evidences, this study has attempted to answer the question of how the Alid themes used on the coins differed from those used on the standard coins of the Abbasids and how the new verses were multiplied? The studying of the coins and historical sources indicates that the Alid of the Tabaristan with the aim of proving their political and religious legitimacy, deliberately minted coins containing verses of the Holy Quran, which were capable of interpreting the position of the Ahl al-Bayt and Jihad against the Abbasid caliphate. Thus, despite the fact that the Alid coins were quite similar in design to the Abbasid coinages, they were quite distinct as they conveyed such concepts as the support of the Prophet's Ahl al-Bayt, Shiite propaganda, and the opposition to the Abbasid caliphate.