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Tremissis - Israel
| Issuer | Kingdom of Aksum |
|---|---|
| Year | 570-580 |
| Type | Standard circulation coin |
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| Composition | Log in to see details |
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| Obverse description | Log in to see details |
|---|---|
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| Reverse description | Draped half-length bust of King Israel facing right, wearing a tight-fitting head cloth and a circular earring, distinct in headdress from the obverse portrait. Ears of barley appear to the left and right of the bust, mirroring the obverse iconography. The Greek legend *IC*ΡΑ*H*Λ, representing the royal name Israel interspersed with decorative star-like symbols, is arranged around the figure within a circular border. The treatment of drapery and facial features is consistent with late sixth-century Aksumite gold coinage as catalogued by Hahn. |
| Reverse script | Greek |
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| Additional information |
Aksumite gold coinage is among the earliest anywhere to incorporate the Christian cross, predating most European Christian numismatic traditions by centuries. By the 570s, the kingdom's control over the Red Sea trade corridor was eroding under sustained Sasanian pressure in South Arabia, and coins from this decade reflect a court still projecting imperial wealth even as its commercial dominance contracted. The "Israel" inscriptions found on certain Aksumite tremisses remain incompletely explained — the name may reference a specific king, a royal title, or a throne name, and scholarly consensus has not fully settled the question.