40 On the Greek Coins in the [Jan. 
arrested the whole of Asia Minor from the Empire in the 11th century, 
struck the emblem of the sun in the constellation of the lion upon the 
obverse of their coin, and these devices have since become well known 
as the chivalric order of distinction in Persia: its origin is referred by 
Marshman to the horoscope of Gheat-ud-din Kai Khusri, who began 
to reign in 1236. The earliest mention. of it is in Tavernier’s Travels, 
1676. The kings of the Turkman or Ortokite dynasty, in the 13th 
century, introduced heads on their coin in imitation of the Syro-Mace- 
donian kings, notwithstanding the supposed prejudice of the faithful 
against such devices. The Persian term shdh, rex, occurs for the 
first time on the coin of Kutb-ud-din Ghazi, a. u.580. The coins of 
this period are so irregular, that Christian marks and names are some- 
times visible on them: signs of the zodiac were also frequently intro- 
duced. The Fatimite dynasty restored the primitive form and purity 
of the Kufic inscriptions. Their coins have generally more than one 
concentric circle of inscription. They also exhibit the several localities 
of Arabia, Syria, Egypt, and Sicily. 
- The coins of the J/-Khanian or Moghul dynasty of Persia are known 
by the title of Kaan, Khan, and Sultdén Ahzem,in connection with the 
name of the sovereign. The writing is generally contained in an orna- 
mental or scalloped frame, such as is now common in the coins of: 
Persia, Nipal, and other oriental countries. 
These very general remarks will be sufficient to afford a clue to the 
classification of the coins of Persia, when the legend may not be 
sufficiently legible to determine them: the subject has been most ably 
expounded by Mr. Marsden, in the work already quoted from; and to it 
all must refer who would pursue this branch of numismatic study. 
Fig. 16.—A silver coin of the Khalifs of the second century of the 
Hejra, bearing on the area of the obverse the usual 
formula in the Kufic character : 
; 
y} ab) 9 Non est Deus preter 
tdo,al!} Deum unicum 
a eh ytd cui non est socius. 
In a circle around which is inscribed 
In nomine Dei cusa est hec drachma in Wasit. Anno 129, nono 
et vicesimo et centesimo. (A. D. 746.) 
On the reverse it has the usual inscription. 
ol) ool al] | Deus unus, Deus 
