Wazeba, circa 340. Argyros (Silver, 12 mm, 0.84 g, 12 h). ወዘበ-ነገሠ ('wzbngs' = 'Wazeba, king' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Wazeba to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring; above, pellet in crescent. Rev. ነገሠአከሰመ (ngsʼksm' = 'king of Axum' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Wazeba to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring, within circular border; above, pellet in crescent. Hahn, Aksumite, 16.1. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 20a. Munro-Hay, AC, type 17. Extremely rare with this reverse legend, just two examples recorded by Hahn & Keck. Somewhat rough, otherwise, very fine.


Wazeba may have been a usurper in the later years of Ousanas I. Crucially, his coinage saw the first use of the indigenous Ge'ez script on the Axumite coinage.