Coins struck at Ahvaz
1 catalogued coin and note attributed to Ahvaz, with weights, legends, dates and Wikimedia-sourced images across Sasanian Empire.
In short
Ahvaz in Khuzestan struck Sasanian silver in the reigns of the late fifth and sixth centuries, when the province's sugar, textile and irrigation economy made it one of the empire's richest tax districts. Ahvaz is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 488 CE – 531 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Drachm denominations, issued under Kavad I.
- Catalogued
- 1
- Eras
- 1
- Metals
- 1
- Denominations
- 1
Key facts
| Catalogued pieces | 1 |
|---|---|
| Date range | 488 CE – 531 CE |
| Eras represented | Sasanian Empire |
| Metals | Silver |
| Denominations | Drachm |
| Issuers | Kavad I |
| Region | Khuzestan, south-western Iran |
| Coin type | Sasanian silver drachm |
| Notable reign | Kavad I, with two separate reigns |
| Economic base | Irrigation agriculture and Gulf trade |
Khuzestan's fiscal weight
Sasanian administration divided the empire into districts whose mints served both payment and taxation. Khuzestan's agricultural surplus and its position on the Gulf trade routes gave Ahvaz a mint role out of proportion to its later fame.
Drachms attributed to the region under Kavad I and his successors document the monetary side of the reforms that reorganised Sasanian land tax in the sixth century.
Attribution
As with all Sasanian silver, mint signature plus regnal year fixes the coin. Kavad I's two separate reigns, split by his deposition and return, make his regnal-year sequence one of the more interesting dating puzzles in the series.
Condition norms are generous here: Sasanian drachms were struck on broad thin flans and often survive with full detail, so collectors can expect legible legends at modest prices.
Sasanian Empire · 224 – 651 CE
Era overview →Frequently asked about Ahvaz
- How is a Sasanian drachm dated?
- By the regnal year in Pahlavi on the reverse, counted from the king's accession, combined with the mint signature and the king's crown type.
- Why did Kavad I reign twice?
- He was deposed in 496 CE and imprisoned, escaped to the Hephthalites and returned with their support in 498, so his coinage carries two distinct regnal-year sequences.
- What coins were struck at Ahvaz?
- Ahvaz is a mint of the Iranian world represented in the Persian Treasury catalogue by 1 coin and note struck between 488 CE – 531 CE. Its output here covers Silver in the Drachm denominations, issued under Kavad I.
- How many Ahvaz pieces are catalogued on Persian Treasury?
- 1 item, dated 488 CE – 531 CE, spread across 1 era: Sasanian Empire.
- Which metals were used for Ahvaz coinage?
- Silver. Each entry records the metal, the approximate weight where known, and a cited reference.
- Which denominations are associated with Ahvaz?
- Drachm. Every denomination has its own reference page with dated examples.