Axum's King Ezana and the First Christian Coins

After Axum's conversion to Christianity under King Ezana in the mid-fourth century AD, the kingdom's coinage underwent a radical transformation. Gold coins that once bore the symbols of Mahrem, Astar, Beher, and Medr now displayed the cross. But this wasn't a simple swap of pagan for Christian imagery — Ezana's coin reform was a sophisticated political and economic move. It asserted Axum's new religious identity, signaled alignment with the Roman Empire, and helped stabilize trade across the Red Sea. This episode explores the design, distribution, and meaning of Ezana's Christian coins, comparing them to earlier issues by Endubis and Aphilas. We also examine how these coins circulated alongside Roman and Sasanian currency, and what they reveal about Axumite diplomacy and self-image. Featuring detailed analysis of coin legends in Ge'ez and Greek, and the debate over whether Ezana converted before or after his famous coin reform. #Axum #Ezana #ChristianCoins #Numismatics #GoldStater #Ge'ez #Mahrem #Cross #RedSeaTrade #Byzantium #Adulis #Endubis #Aphilas #MonumentumAdulitanum #4thCentury #EastAfrica #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo