The Mottoes
By Stuart Munro-Hay
There emerges at this stage yet another unusual feature of the Aksumite coinage. Large numbers of bronze coins were issued, perhaps by Ezana or perhaps by an immediate successor, with no royal name, just the word `basileus’, king. But on the reverse a prominent Greek cross appeared in the centre of the field, surrounded by the motto TOYTOAPECHTHXWPA, `May this please the people’. A silver issue with a similar reverse design bore a cross with its centre and arms hollowed out and gilded. This is the first example of the typical Aksumite numismatic motto (or, in a rather unfortunate translation from Kobishchanov (1979), the `demagogic slogan’). The mottoes are a rather attractive peculiarity of Aksumite coinage, giving a feeling of royal concern and responsibility towards the people’s wishes and contentment, but they were also very practical; the Christian theme of the first of them shows how the kings exploited this useful propaganda instrument to proclaim their new faith throughout the country, or at least as far as the coinage itself spread. King Ouazebas, (c. late 4th – early 5th century) similarly used this motto, and also introduced the gilded halo on his bronze issue, whilst MHDYS employed the Constantinian phrase `By this cross you shall conquer’ and had a spot of gold placed in the centre of the cross itself.
The employment of these mottoes for political or religious themes continued until the collapse of the monetary system. Many fifth-century kings use the phrase `By the grace of God’, or `Thanks be to God’, and later rulers declared `Christ is with us’, or asked for `Mercy and peace’ and the like. Others emphasise certain aspects possibly of political importance. Kaleb (6th century) makes a point of the phrase `Son of Tazena’ perhaps to affirm legitimate succession. Kaleb’s emphasis on his paternity might be connected with some dynastic disturbance. The coins of Wazena similarly announce, around the royal bust, `He who is fitting for the people’, which could also be an indication of difficulties in the succession. On the other hand, the legend could mean `That which is fitting to the people’, and would be a direct translation into Ge`ez of the old Greek motto still used on Kaleb’s bronzes; `May this please the people’. Kaleb’s silver already employed this motto in Ge`ez, but instead of `country’ the word hgr or `city’ was used, possibly referring to Aksum itself as the capital city.
Much of the interpretation of these mottoes is subjective, but they were evidently chosen with a purpose, and it is of value to at least suggest possible motives for them. It may be, for example, that the change of emphasis in the mottoes towards the end of the coinage hints at unrest in the country. After the Christian mottoes which we interpret as part of the propaganda to spread Christianity, the kings Armah, Israel, and Hataz all use mottoes asking for mercy or peace for the people. Occasional references seem to indicate military activity; Gersem, perhaps the last or penultimate of the coin-issuers, employs the phrase `He conquers (shall conquer) through Christ’.
Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity
2. Legend, Literature, and Archaeological Discovery
- 2-1. The Legends of Aksum
2-2. Aksum in Ancient Sources
2-3. The Rediscovery of Aksum in Modern Times
- 3-1. The Landscape
3-2. Origins and Expansion of the Kingdom
3-3. The Development of Aksum; an Interpretation
3-4. Cities, Towns, and Villages
3-5. The Inhabitants
3-6. Foreign Relations
- 4-1 The Pre-Aksumite Period
4-2 Early Aksum until the Reign of Gadarat
4-3 Gadarat to Endubis
4-4 Endubis to Ezana
4-5 Ezana after his Conversion, to Kaleb
4-6. Kaleb to the End of the Coinage
4-7. The Post-Aksumite Period
- 5-1. The Site
5-2. The Town Plan
5-3. Portuguese Records of Aksum
5-4. Aksumite Domestic Architecture
5-5. The Funerary Architecture
5-6. The Stelae
- 7-1. The King and the State
7-2. The Regalia
7-3. Dual Kingship
7-4. Succession
7-5. The Royal Titles
7-6. The Coronation
- 8-1. Population
8-2. Agriculture, Husbandry, and Animal Resources
8-3. Metal Resources
8-4. Trade, Imports and Exports
8-5. Local Industries
8-6. Food
- 9-1. The Origins
9-2. Introduction and Spread of the Coinage
9-3. Internal Aspects of the Coinage
9-4. The Mottoes
9-5. The End of the Coinage
9-6. Modern Study of the Coinage
- 10-1. The Pre-Christian Period
10-2. The Conversion to Christianity
10-3. Abreha and Atsbeha
10-4. Ecclesiastical Development
10-5. Churches
- 11-1. The Inscriptional Record
11-2. The Military Structure
11-3. Weapons
11-4. The Fleet
11-5. The Aksumite inscriptions
12. Material Culture; the Archaeological Record
13. Language, Literature, and the Arts
- 15-1. The Failure of Resources
15-2. The Climate
15-3. External and Internal Political Troubles
15-4. The Najashi Ashama ibn Abjar
15-5. The NatsaniDaniell
16.The British Institute in Eastern Africa’s Excavations at Aksum
9-6. Modern Study of the Coinage