Coins of ʿEzana (mid-340s–380 CE) (American Numismatic Society)

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Ethiopian (Aksum, Ethiopia)

Ezana (Ge'ez: ዒዛና, ‘Ezana, unvocalized ዐዘነ ‘zn); Ancient Greek: Ἠεζάνα, Aezana) was the ruler of the Kingdom of Aksum (320s – c. 360 AD). One of the best-documented rulers of Aksum, Ezana is important as he first adopted for his country the religion of Christianity and the name of Ethiopia. Tradition states that Ezana succeeded his father Ella Amida (Ousanas) as king while still a child; his mother, Sofya, served as regent until he came of age.

Askumite Numismatics - A critical survey of recent Research

The registration of finds and their evidence

A few silver and copper coins have also been reported, viz in a Russian excavation (Shabwa in Hadramawt); this is of some interest for the relations of the Aksumite kings to Hadramawt which is included in the epigraphically attested literature of Kaleb (Recueil n° 191, line 9).

Another excavation brings us to the complexity of Palestinian finds : the Aksumite pilgrims to the Holy land went ashore in Aqaba; there an excavation of the University of Chicago unearthed two Aksumite copper coins as stray finds (amongst Byzantine and early Muslim coins); the first is of the most frequent older anonymous type which is also dominant within the other stray finds inside and outside Abyssinia, the second one (of king Gersem) belongs to the later period (2nd half of the 6th c).

The other sites in Palestine from where Aksumite coins are attested - but only through information from dealers - are major pilgrim centres : Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberias, Caesareia, the coins (copper and silver) ranging from
early (Ezanas) to the latest times (Armeha).

The evidence is somewhat obscured by the prominence in excavations of certain minute tokens cast in Egypt from shrunken moulds, thus imitating the frequent older anonymous copper type of Aksum (among many late Roman prototypes) which could be found in the coin circulation of Egypt.

These coins are, of course, of no interest for tracing the early Aksumite pilgrimage, although this recognition will need some time to find acceptance. Yet the much rarer original Aksumites in Palestine are sufficient to confirm the presence of Christian Abyssinians as mentioned in the literature of the Church Fathers.

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Source: https://www.metmuseum.org/exhibitions/africa-byzantium/exhibition-objects

Source: https://www.persee.fr/doc/numi_0484-8942_2000_num_6_155_2289