Æ17 - Aphilas

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Schrift voorzijde	Greek
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Beschrijving keerzijde	A stylised plant or wheat ear occupies the central field, depicted with a single upright stem bearing multiple fronds or leaves splaying symmetrically on either side, a recurring botanical motif on Aksumite bronze coinage of this period. The design is boldly struck in relief against a plain, slightly irregular field. A Greek marginal legend surrounds the central device, reading MITѠN BICI ΔIMHΛH, identifying a regional official or locality associated with the coin's issue. The flan edges are uneven, consistent with the hand-struck production technique of the Aksumite mint.
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Aanvullende informatie	Aphilas ruled Aksum in the early fourth century and is known almost exclusively through his coinage — no contemporary written sources document his reign. His issues are among the earliest sub-Saharan African coins to carry a royal portrait with gilded inlay, a technique that distinguishes Aksumite production from virtually all other ancient minting traditions. This particular type, catalogued under MHAC#13, falls within the smaller bronze denominations that circulated alongside silver and gold issues in a remarkably sophisticated trimetallic system for the period.