Numismatic Evidence for the Presence of Zaydī 'Alids in the Northern Jibāl, Gīlān and Khurāsān From AH 250 to 350 (AD 864-961)

The 'Alid coinage and the light it can throw on the history of the lands south of the Caspian and adjacent regions during the early centuries AH has for long been of interest to scholars. The first valuable study on the coinage was undertaken by Samuel Stern in 1967. He listed all the known 'Alid coins struck at the mints of Āmul and Hawsam between 250 and 344. He did not attempt to discuss the coins of other 'Alid mints (Qazwīn, Muḥammadiya and Nisābūr) which were then still uncommon. More coins are now known from these mints allowing us to supplement Stern's article and also George Miles s 1972 contribution to the early anonymous 'Alid coins. This paper also presents a discussion on the political history of the 'Alids in the regions of Jibāl, Khurāsān and Gīlān based on both narrative sources and coins.