Abyan Governorate Hoard
Introduction
In august 2018 a Saudi arabian source provided us with photographs and some data about a small hoard of 16 late Roman solidi and 7 aksumite gold coins, found on 29 July 2018 at an undetermined location in the abyan Governorate of Yemen, north- east of the city of aden. We do not know if the hoard was found in a container, and have no information about any archaeological context. We are reasonably sure that this group comprised only a small fraction of the original find, which was said to have contained 50-200 or more gold coins. However, we think that we record a typical sample of the original hoard, whose post and ante quem termini were probably the same as those of the analogous al-Madhāriba hoard (see below).
Ebana, middle third of fifth century
Obv. +BAX+ACA+BAC+CIN or variant around. ‘King of the land of the Abyssinians [abbreviated]’? Crowned and draped bust right holding stick (or wheat-stalk), between two wheat-stalks, within circle.
Rev. EB+ANA+BAC+ACA+C (with the first cross at 12h). ‘King Ebana’. Draped bust right wearing headcloth, holding fly-whisk or stick, within circle.
17. 1.6 g. Munro-Hay 71/73; Hahn-West, p. 84.
18. 1.5 g. Munro-Hay 71/73; Hahn-West, p. 84.
19. 1.5 g. Munro-Hay 71/73; Hahn-West, p. 84.
Ousanas II, c. AD 490-510. (Traditionally numbered as Ousanas III. However, in Hahn-West (2016, p. 13) this king is named Ousanas II and not Ousanas III.)
Obv. +OVCΛNΛB ΛCIΛЄVC. ‘King Ousana’. Crowned and draped bust right holding rod, between two wheat-stalks, no circle.
Rev. +BEΔVE XAГIC. ‘Thanks be to God’. As obv., but wearing headcloth and holding fly-whisk.
20. 1.5 g. Munro-Hay 89/90; Hahn-West, p. 106.
Kaleb, c. AD 510 - late 530s.
Obv. XAΛHBBACIΛЄVC or (nº 23) +++AHBBACIΛЄVC. ‘King Kaleb’. Crowned and draped bust right, holding spear/fly-whisk between two wheat-stalks, within circle. “klb” monogram above.
Rev. VIOCΘЄZЄNA or (nº 23) +++VIOCOIЄZЄNA(OV) .‘Son of Thezena’. As obv., but wearing headcloth and holding fly-whisk. the z is like an S on its side. “klb” monogram above.
21. 1.3 g. Munro-Hay 91/96; Hahn-West, pp. 106 and 108.
22. 1.3 g. Munro-Hay 91/96; Hahn-West, pp. 106 and 108.
23. 1.4 g. Munro-Hay 98/109; Hahn-West, pp. 108 and 110.
Commentary
There are only seven Aksumite coins, also worn and dating from the middle third of fifth century to the early sixth: three of the 5th-century king Ebana, one of king Ousanas II (c.490-510) and three of king Kaleb (c.510 - late 530s). The reverses of coins 21 and 22, issued by Kaleb, seem to be from the same die.
The Aksumite monetary system was tri-metallic, with gold struck for use abroad, with hardly any local circulation, and copper and silver coinage for local needs. the gold coins, unlike most of the silver and copper ones, bore Greek legends, and their weights seem to follow that of the Roman gold tremissis, a third of a solidus. the overwhelming majority of early Aksumite coins come from Yemen, with only a few from Ethiopia itself.