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The ”’fils”’ ([[Arabic]]: فلس) is a subdivision of [[currency]] used in some [[Arab]] countries, such as [[Iraq]] and [[Bahrain]]. The term is a modern retranscription of ”’fals”’, an early medieval Arab copper [[coin]] first produced by the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] (661–750) beginning in the late 7th century. The name is derived from ”[[follis]]”, a [[Roman coinage|Roman]] and later [[Byzantine coinage|Byzantine]] copper coin.<ref>{{cite book |title=Urban network evolutions : towards a high-definition archaeology |date=31 December 2018 |publisher=Aarhus University Press |location=Aarhus |isbn=9788771846386 |page=118}}</ref> As with most [[Islamic coinage]], the fals was [[Aniconism|aniconic]] and usually featured ornate [[Arabic script]] on both sides. Various copper fals were produced until the 19th century. Their weight varied, from one gram to ten grams or more. |
The ”’fils”’ ([[Arabic]]: فلس) is a subdivision of [[currency]] used in some [[Arab]] countries, such as [[Iraq]] and [[Bahrain]]. The term is a modern retranscription of ”’fals”’, an early medieval Arab copper [[coin]] first produced by the [[Umayyad Caliphate]] (661–750) beginning in the late 7th century. The name is derived from ”[[follis]]”, a [[Roman coinage|Roman]] and later [[Byzantine coinage|Byzantine]] copper coin.<ref>{{cite book |title=Urban network evolutions : towards a high-definition archaeology |date=31 December 2018 |publisher=Aarhus University Press |location=Aarhus |isbn=9788771846386 |page=118}}</ref> As with most [[Islamic coinage]], the fals was [[Aniconism|aniconic]] and usually featured ornate [[Arabic script]] on both sides. Various copper fals were produced until the 19th century. Their weight varied, from one gram to ten grams or more. |
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“Fils” is the singular form in Arabic, not plural (as its final consonant might indicate to an English speaker). The plural form of fils is ”fulūs” {{Plural abbr|””’fulus””’}} which can also refer to small amounts of money or to money in general<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stevealbum.com/pdfs/ChecklistOfIslamicCoins3rdEdition2011Free.pdf |title=Checklist of Islamic Coins |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2020-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529223238/https://www.stevealbum.com/pdfs/ChecklistOfIslamicCoins3rdEdition2011Free.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> |
“Fils” is the singular form in Arabic, not plural (as its final consonant might indicate to an English speaker). The plural form of fils is ”fulūs” {{Plural abbr|””’fulus””’}} which can also refer to small amounts of money or to money in general<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stevealbum.com/pdfs/ChecklistOfIslamicCoins3rdEdition2011Free.pdf |title=Checklist of Islamic Coins |access-date=2024-12-01 |archive-date=2020-05-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200529223238/https://www.stevealbum.com/pdfs/ChecklistOfIslamicCoins3rdEdition2011Free.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The French term ”flouze” is borrowed from Arabic. It is also absorbed into [[Malay language]] through the word ”fulus” {{lang|ar|فولوس}}.<ref>{{Cite dictionary|last=|first=|date=|title=fulus|url=http://prpm.dbp.gov.my/cari1?keyword=fulus|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=6 September 2020|website=|publisher=Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka Malaysia|via=Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu|edition=4th|dictionary=Kamus Dewan}}</ref> |
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Revision as of 18:32, 30 January 2026
Currency denomination in Arab countries and a coin in Umayyad Caliphate
The fils (Arabic: فلس) is a subdivision of currency used in some Arab countries, such as Iraq and Bahrain. The term is a modern retranscription of fals, an early medieval Arab copper coin first produced by the Umayyad Caliphate (661–750) beginning in the late 7th century. The name is derived from follis, a Roman and later Byzantine copper coin.[1] As with most Islamic coinage, the fals was aniconic and usually featured ornate Arabic script on both sides. Various copper fals were produced until the 19th century. Their weight varied, from one gram to ten grams or more.
“Fils” is the singular form in Arabic, not plural (as its final consonant might indicate to an English speaker). The plural form of fils is fulūs pl. fulus which can also refer to small amounts of money or to money in general in contemporary dialects of Arabic (eg. Egyptian, Iraqi, Levantine and many other varieties of Arabic).[2][3] The French term flouze is borrowed from Arabic. It is also absorbed into Malay language through the word fulus فولوس.[4]
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First side of the image: Obverse: A palm tree with lettering “حكومة البحرين” (Government of Bahrain) and year of minting in Gregorian and Islamic years (1965-1385) inscribed in Arabic.
Second side of the image: Reverse: Face-value and country name.History
The term fils appears on the earliest coins produced in the area of Greater Syria during the transition from Byzantine imperial rule to that of Umayyad Caliphate.[7] The earliest examples of these Byzantine-Arab coins were bilingual and they are appear in both Jund Filastin and Jund al-Urdunn with the producing mints undeclared in the 7th century.[8] The term Arabic: فلس, romanized: fils comes from the Byzantine Greek: follis.
In popular culture
- The Malay derivant fulus was used as the basis for naming the fictional setting of Metrofulus in the 2006 Malaysian superhero film Cicakman.
See also
Daughter currencies:
References
