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Æ18 - Ouazebas
| Issuer | Aksum |
|---|---|
| Year | 375-400 |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Shape | Round (irregular) |
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| Obverse description | Draped bust of King Ouazebas facing right, the head covered by an ornamented headcloth decorated along the front edge, characteristic of Aksumite royal portraiture. The effigy is flanked on either side by upright grain ears, a recurring symbol of royal prosperity on Aksumite coinage. A circumscribed Greek legend frames the bust within the field. The overall style is consistent with the debased hammered bronze coinage of the late Aksumite series, with gilt surface treatment lending a gilded appearance to the coin. |
|---|---|
| Obverse script | Log in to see details |
| Obverse lettering | +ΟνΥΑΖΗEΒΑΣ ΒΑϹΙΛΕΥΣ (Translation: `King Ouazebas`.) |
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| Additional information |
Ouazebas ruled Aksum during the late fourth century, a period when the kingdom was consolidating its Christian identity following Ezana's conversion decades earlier. The gold-plated bronze coinage of this era served a specific economic function: a prestige-adjacent currency that projected the appearance of gold without the cost, likely intended for trade with inland markets where full gold issues would have been prohibitively valuable for small transactions. Aksumite plating technique was accomplished enough that worn examples are frequently misidentified at first handling.