Idrisid dirham
# Idrisid dirham

The Idrisid dirham (Arabic: الدرهم الإدريسي) was a silver coin minted under the Idrisid dynasty in Morocco and the western Maghreb.

## Name

The word "dirham" (درهم) comes from drachma (δραχμή), the Greek coin. "Dirham" is also the name of the currency in use in Morocco today. Idris I was the founder of the Idrisid dynasty.

## History

They were first struck under Idris I (788–791) in Tudgha and Volubilis. Ultimately, they were minted at approximately 20 different workshops.

## Description

Inscriptions on the coins indicate the dynasty's Zaidiyyah Shia alignment. They promoted the dynasty's lineage tracing back to Ali, which gave the dynasty legitimacy. The Iraqi Kufic script on these coins influenced the early development of Maghrebi script. The Kufic script on these coins is basic and unembellished, reflecting the economic status of the Idrisid state.

## Use

Idrisid dirhams circulated widely in the Middle East, and have been found as far as Russia and the Balkans.

