2020-02-06 Thu

Hisham Ibn Abd Al-Malik was the tenth Caliph to rule the Umayyad dynasty from 724 until his death on 6th February, 743. Hisham reigned during the final period of prosperity and glory of the Umayyad.

He was a great patron of the arts, and he encouraged arts in the empire. He also encouraged the growth of education by building more schools, and perhaps most importantly, by overseeing the translation of numerous literary and scientific masterpieces into Arabic.

On the military front, his empire suffered a series of setbacks, especially in the Caucasus against the Khazars and in Transoxiana against the Turkish. Under Hisham's rule, regular raids against the Byzantine Empire continued.

Depicted here is an Umayyad coin issued by Hisham ibn Abd al-Malik from Tabaristan. The obverse of a coin depicts the Draped bust resembling Khosrau II to right, wearing elaborate mural crown. The reverse of a coin engraved Sasanian fire altar set on three steps, flanked by two attendants standing facing; to left, date; to right, mint TPURSTAN ('Tabaristan' in Pahlavi).

Image Source: www.coinarchives.com