ARAB-BYZANTINE — UMAYYAD CALIPHATE
‘ABD AL-MALIK IBN MARWAN (685–705 AD)
AE FALS — COPPER
An historically significant Arab-Byzantine copper fals issued during the reign of ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan (685–705 AD), one of the most important rulers of the early Umayyad Caliphate.
This coin represents a fascinating transitional period in Islamic history, when early Umayyad coinage continued to draw heavily on Byzantine artistic and monetary traditions while incorporating Arabic inscriptions and Islamic political identity. These early coins provide an important link between Byzantine coinage and the later standardized Islamic coinage introduced during ‘Abd al-Malik’s monetary reforms.
The use of copper and the Byzantine-influenced imagery make this a particularly interesting example for collectors of early Islamic, Arab-Byzantine, and Umayyad coinage.
Ruler: ‘Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
Dynasty: Umayyad Caliphate
Date: 685–705 AD
Denomination: AE Fals
Metal: Copper
Period: Late 7th–early 8th century AD
Region: Arab-Byzantine / Umayyad territories
A remarkable survivor from the formative period of Islamic coinage and the transformation of the eastern Mediterranean monetary system.
