Coins struck at Adurbadagan
1 catalogued coin and note attributed to Adurbadagan, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Sasanian Empire.
In short
Adurbadagan is the Sasanian name for Azerbaijan, the north-western province that held Adur Gushnasp, the great fire of the warrior class, and whose mint signature appears on Sasanian silver from the fifth century onward. Adurbadagan is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 459 CE – 484 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Drachm denominations, issued under Peroz I.
- Catalogued
- 1
- Eras
- 1
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 1
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 459 CE – 484 CE |
| Eras represented | Sasanian Empire |
| Metals | Silver |
| Denominations | Drachm |
| Issuers | Peroz I |
| Modern region | Iranian Azerbaijan |
| Sacred site | Adur Gushnasp at Takht-e Soleyman |
| Coinage | Sasanian silver drachms |
| Attribution | Pahlavi mint abbreviation plus regnal year |
Province of the sacred fire
Adurbadagan took its name from Aturpat, the fourth-century BCE governor whose family gave the region its Zoroastrian prestige. Takht-e Soleyman, the temple of Adur Gushnasp, was the fire at which Sasanian kings were expected to make pilgrimage on accession.
That religious weight gave the province administrative importance disproportionate to its population, and a working mint followed the administration.
Reading the signature
Sasanian mint signatures are abbreviations of two to four Pahlavi letters, and readings for several remain contested. Adurbadagan issues are attributed by signature together with the king's crown type and the regnal year.
Silver from the province circulated widely, and Azerbaijan remained a mint region under Islamic, Ilkhanid and Safavid administration long after the Sasanian collapse.
Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Adurbadagan
- Where was Adurbadagan?
- In north-western Iran — the province that gives modern Azerbaijan its name, centred on the Zoroastrian fire sanctuary at Takht-e Soleyman.
- Why is the province important in Sasanian coinage?
- It held Adur Gushnasp, the royal warrior fire visited by kings at accession, which made it an administrative and minting centre.
- What coins were struck at Adurbadagan?
- Adurbadagan is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 459 CE – 484 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Drachm denominations, issued under Peroz I.
- How many Adurbadagan pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 1 item, dated 459 CE – 484 CE, spread across 1 era: Sasanian Empire.
- Which metals were used for Adurbadagan coinage?
- Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Adurbadagan?
- Drachm. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.