Noe, 5th century. Chrysos (Gold, 17 mm, 1.55 g, 12 h). ✠ACX✠ACA✠CAC✠CIነ Draped half-length bust of Noe to right, wearing tiara and circular earring, holding spear in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border. Rev. ✠ↃⲰX✠ↃIↃ✠CΛH✠ΛΛX Draped half-length bust of Noe to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, holding branch in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to left and right, ears of barley; all within circular border. Hahn, Aksumite, 28. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 38.91 (this coin). Munro-Hay, AC, type 59. A wonderful piece of unusually fine style. Struck from a slightly corroded reverse die, otherwise, extremely fine.


While nothing is known of his reign, Noe is interesting for being the first Axumite king to employ a biblical name (Noah) on his coinage. The obverse legend (here slightly blundered) names him 'BA XAC ABACCIN' or 'Basileus Choras Abassinо̄n', which translates as 'King of the Land of the Abyssinians', a formula in common use on the Axumite gold coinage afterwards.