Mhdys, circa 450s-460s. AE (Gilt Bronze, 14 mm, 1.12 g, 11 h). መሐደየሰነገሠአከሰመ ('mhdysngsʼksm' = 'Mhdys (Matthias?), king of Axum' in Ge'ez) Draped bust of Mhdys to right, wearing tight-fitting head cloth and circular earring; to left and right, ears of barley; above, cross. Rev. ✠በዘ✠መወ𐩱✠በመሰቀለ ('bzmwʼbmsql' = 'In this (sign), you will conquer, through the Cross' in Ge'ez) Cross with central circle inlaid in gold within circular border. Hahn, Aksumite, 30. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 41. Munro-Hay, AC, type 70. A clear and attractive example with lovely earthen highlights. Minor flan fault on the obverse, otherwise, good very fine.


This fascinating little bronze coin, while inconspicuous at first sight, sets itself apart with its spectacular reverse legend, which is the Ge'ez rendering of the Greek 'ἐν τούτῳ νίκα', or the Latin 'in hoc signo vinces'. This was the message Constantine the Great saw in the sky together with a solar symbol shortly before the Battle of the Milvian Bridge in 312, and had clearly become so powerful a religious (and political!) message that it even spread to Axum. The message is further enhanced by the gilding of the center of the cross, which thus radiates, as it were, with heavenly light.