AXUM. Alla Amidas/Armeha, before 540-550s. Lepton (Bronze, 16 mm, 1.41 g, 12 h). ነገሠአረመሐ ('ngsʼrmh' = 'King Armeha' in Ge'ez) Draped half-length bust of Alla Amidas/Armeha to right, wearing gilt tiara and circular earring, holding long cross-tipped scepter in his right hand and with bracelets on his right arm; to upper right, inverted Δ. Rev. ሠሀለመሰለመ ('shlwslm' = 'Mercy and peace' in Ge'ez) Distyle arch surmounted by ornament flanked by two cross-tipped scepters, containing chalice (?) with round base. Hahn, Aksumite -. Hahn & Keck, MAKS, 71. Munro-Hay, AC -. Of the highest rarity, apparently the second known example in bronze. Somewhat rough, otherwise, very fine.



Armeha has previously been considered a contemporary of the prophet Muhammed, based on a story recorded by the Muslim historian, Muhammad ibn Jarīr al-Tabarī (circa 839-923), who mentions a prince Arha living in the 7th century. This moved his coinage to the very end to the Axumite series, and the lack of gold coins in his name would thus reflect the dire economic straits Axum found itself in by this time. Hahn & Keck (MAKS, p. 118), however, argue that Armeha is more likely to be a different name for Alla Amidas, a close successor of Kaleb, and thus his coins are considerably earlier.

Both the silver and bronze coinage of Alla Amidas/Armeha were innovative. Firstly, it saw the permanent introduction of Ge'ez to these metals, which nearly completely supplanted Greek over the following decades. Moreover, the iconography of his silver issues (or in this case, an extremely rare bronze example) is highly intriguing. Various interpretations have been offered for the curious design found on the reverse, ranging from a decorated throne to a triumphal arch or the Spring of Life, while the object in the middle has variously been described as a key, as the stone closing off the Holy Sepulchre, or as a crown. The latter in particular evokes the story of Kaleb donating his crown to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, but the shape does not seem to accord well with a crown.

Hahn & Keck interpret the object as a chalice containing the blood of Christ. The upper ornament, a cross on most silver examples, then represents Christ, while the cross-tipped scepters underline his status as King of Kings. All taken together, the scene symbolizes the Eucharist, in which the blood of Christ was transformed for the deliverance of all believers.