Historically, the word "dirham" is derived from 'dirhem', itself coming from the name of a Greek coin, the Drachm ; the Byzantine Empire controlled the Levant and traded with Arabia , circulating the coin there in pre-Islamic times and afterward. It was this currency which was initially adopted as an Arab word; then near the end of the 7th Century the coin became an Islamic currency bearing the name of the sovereign and a religious verse. The dirham was struck in many Mediterranean countries, including Spain, and could be used as currency in Europe between the 10th and 12 Centuries .
Compare the Armenian Dram for a currency whose name bears a similar origin. Also compare Dinar for another currency circulated in the Muslim world but originating with the Romans.
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