Idrisid dirham

The word "dirham" (درهم) comes from drachma (δραχμή), the Greek coin.^[2] "Dirham" is also the name of the currency in use in Morocco today. Idris I was the founder of the Idrisid dynasty.^[3]

They were first struck under Idris I (788–791) in Tudgha and Volubilis.^[4] Ultimately, they were minted at approximately 20 different workshops.^[5]

Inscriptions on the coins indicate the dynasty's Zaidiyyah Shia alignment.^[5] They promoted the dynasty's lineage tracing back to Ali, which gave the dynasty legitimacy.^[5] The Iraqi Kufic script on these coins influenced the early development of Maghrebi script.^[6] The Kufic script on these coins is basic and unembellished, reflecting the economic status of the Idrisid state.^[6]

Idrisid dirhams circulated widely in the Middle East and have been found as far as Russia and the Balkans.^{[5][dubious – discuss]}