Catalog
Siliqua - Ousanas
| Issuer | Kingdom of Aksum |
|---|---|
| Year | 315-325 |
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| Composition | Silver |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Obverse lettering | ΟΥCΑΝΑC ΒΑCΙΛεΥC (Translation: King Ousanas) |
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| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Ousanas ruled Aksum during a pivotal decade when the kingdom was consolidating its control over trade routes connecting the Red Sea to the interior of northeast Africa. His silver issues are among the earliest Aksumite coins struck with a Christian cross — appearing on some die varieties before Constantine had fully normalized Christian iconography in Roman coinage, making the chronological relationship between the two traditions a live debate among specialists.
The BMC distinguishes two varieties under #27 and #28, separated by minor die differences rather than issuer or period. Both are scarce in silver; gold issues of Ousanas survive in greater numbers, which inverts the usual pattern.