Un <em>fals</em> omeya hallado en el antiguo camino de Besalú ¿Un testimonio de la conquista musulmana del territorio de Gerona?

Abstract

This paper is about an Ummayad fals, dated to the early part of the eighth century, that was found next to a road in Esponellà (Pla de l’Estany), in the province of Gerona (Catalunya). The paper begins with information about the emission of fals coins, such as their origin, mints and evolution. It then focuses on the particular coin presented here, from its precise identification to its iconography and legend. Finally, the authors hypothesize about aspects of the circulation of fals on the Iberian peninsula and describe the historical and geographical context of the place in which it was found. It is precisely the analysis of the relationship between this kind of coin, which is closely linked to the presence of troops from Syria, and the place where this one was found —the old road that connected coastal Gerona with Besalú and then continued on to the Pyrenees— that leads the authors to pro- pose that this was one of the penetration points during the early stages of the Muslim conquest.