ISLAMIC, 'Abbasid Caliphate. temp. Al-Saffah, AH 132-136 / AD 749-754. Hemidrachm (Silver, 24 mm, 2.10 g, 6 h), citing spahbed Khurshid (AD 740-761) of the Dabwayhids, Tabaristan, PYE 102 = 753. Draped Sasanian-style bust to right, wearing elaborate crown; behind head, ‘GDE ʾp̄zwt’ (‘[may his] glory increase’ in Pahlavi); before head, ‘hwlšyt'’ (‘Khurshid’ in Pahlavi); in outer margin, ‘ʾp̄d’ (‘wonderful’ in Pahlavi). Rev. Fire altar, flanked by two attendants; above altar, star and crescent; to left, date in Pahlavi; to right, ‘tpwlstʾn’ (‘Tabaristan’ in Pahlavi). Album 52. Nicely toned. Areas of weakness, otherwise, extremely fine.


Khurshid was the last independent spahbed of the local Dabwayhid dynasty to resist the Arab invasion. However, despite an alliance of the rebels with Tang China, the Abbasid forces eventually broke the Dabwayhid resistance in AD 759/760 and incorporated Tabaristan into the Caliphate. The family of Khurshid was killed and Khurshid himself fled to Daylam, where he comitted suicide shortly thereafter.