Wazeba, circa 340. 3 Argyroi (?) (Silver, 14 mm, 0.78 g, 1 h). Draped bust of Wazeba to right, wearing long garment, tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, monogram of ወዘበ ('wzb'). Rev. [ወ]ዘበ-ነገሠ ('wzbngs' = 'Wazeba, king' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Wazeba to right, wearing long garment, tiara and circular earring and with bracelets on his right arm; to left, monogram of ወዘበ ('wzb'); to right, monogram of ወዘበ ('wzb') and palm frond (?). Hahn, Aksumite, p. 161, note on no. 16 (questioning the existence of this type, but with an erroneous Vaccaro reference). Hahn & Keck, MAKS, p. 152 & pl. 19, 16.1-3 (questioning the existence of this type). W. Hahn: Numismatische Reisenotizen aus Äthiopien, in: Mitteilungsblatt des Instituts für Numismatik der Universität Wien 16 (1998), p. 9-14 (this coin cited). Munro-Hay, AC, type 16 (this coin cited). Vaccaro 16 (this coin, but re-repaired). Of the highest rarity. Darkly toned. Edge chipped and repaired, otherwise, good very fine.


While Hahn & Keck had some reservations regarding the authenticity of this highly interesting issue, they were not able to examine the present, unquestionably genuine example from the Vaccaro Collection, which proves the existence of this remarkable type. Unlike other Axumite coins, it features a tiaraed bust on both sides, rather than the expected bust with tight-fitting head cloth on the reverse. Secondly, Wazeba's monogram is prominently displayed in the field on both sides, likewise a departure from the standard iconography. Finally, as mentioned for the previous lot, the legend is in Ge'ez rather than Greek, the language normally used for the early Axumite coinage. All this fits in well with a period of political strife – as was so often the case in Antiquity, usurpations and civil war brought innovation in numismatic iconography as the warring factions would use coinage to underline their own legitimacy. Since Wazeba was probably on the losing end of the conflict, his experiments were swiftly abandoned upon his downfall, only the use of Ge'ez being revived in later times.