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An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity
November 19, 2018

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

1. Introduction

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. The City and the State

  • 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. Aksumite History

  • 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. The Capital City

  • 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

6. The Civil Administration

  • 6-1. The Rulers
    6-2. Officials of the Government

7. The Monarchy

  • 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. The Economy

  • 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. The Coinage

  • 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. Religion

  • 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. Warfare

  • 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

  • 12-1. Pottery
    12-2. Glassware
    12-3. Stone Bowls
    12-4. Metalwork
    12-5. Other Materials

13. Language, Literature, and the Arts

  • 13-1. Language
    13-2. Literature and Literacy
    13-3. The Arts
    13-4. Music and Liturgical Chant

14. Society and Death

  • 14-1. Social Classes
    14-2. Funerary Practice

15. The Decline of Aksum

  • 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

Internal Aspects of the Coinage The End of the Coinage

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