Ousanas

Ousanas may have had a "relatively long reign" and campaigned in Nubia. It is also possible that he was briefly ousted by Wazeba, a usurper.

W.R.O. Hahn, in a study published in 1983, identifies Sembrouthes, who is known only from an inscription found in Daqqi Mahari in modern Eritrea, with Ousanas. If correct, this would give Ousanas a reign of at least 27 years.

Axumite regnal lists and alternate names

Ethiopian tradition credits Abreha and Atsbeha with being the first Christian kings of the country. They were likely based on the brothers Ezana and Saizana, sons of Ousanas. The name of the father and regnal predecessor of Abreha and Atsbeha varies between sources. Ousanas has been known as either Ameda/Ella Ameda, Tazer and/or Sayfa Arad depending on the text or regnal list.

Ousanas appears on several regnal lists under the name of "Ameda" or "Ela Amida". Lists recorded by Pedro Páez, Henry Salt and E. A. Wallis Budge place king "Ameda" as the thirtieth to reign after Bazen (c. 8 BC–9 AD E.C.) and state that he reigned for either 30 years and 8 months or 40 years and 8 months.

Another king that named on regnal lists is "Tazer", who appears as the predecessor of Abreha and Atsbeha on a list recorded by Carlo Conti Rossini. According to a book titled Gedle Abreha and Asbeha from the Church of Abreha wa-Atsbeha, Tazer was the father of Abreha and Atsbeha and his wife was Sofya, therefore it is likely that Tazer is the same person as Ousanas.

According to Rossini's list, king Tazer's throne name was "Sayfa Ared". The Tarika Nagast (History of Kings) additionally claims that the father of Abreha and Atsbeha was king Sayfa-Ar'ed. A king of this name is listed on different regnal lists recorded by Páez and James Bruce, but not as Abreha and Atsbeha's direct predecessor.