Noe, 5th century. Chrysos (Gold, 17 mm, 1.50 g, 12 h). ✠XVC✠CΛC✠CΛC✠ΛↃΛ 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. ✠ↃⲰΙ (?)✠ↃIƆ✠IΛH✠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. Munro-Hay, AC, 59. Struck from heavily worn dies, otherwise, about very 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 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.