Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Primary Source
African Kingdoms
Stelae Inscription of King
Ezana of Aksum
ABOUT THE SOURCE The ancient people of Nubia built a thriving kingdom
called Kush along the Nile River in present-day Sudan. In the first century AD,
another kingdom developed in the Ethiopian highlands to the south and east of
Kush. Called Aksum, this kingdom grew prosperous from its farming and Red
Sea trade. By AD 300, Aksum had become a major military power in the region.
Later, in AD 350, war broke out between Kush and Aksum. King Ezana, a
Christian, led the forces of Aksum against the Nubians. The following passage is
from a stelae inscription from Ezana describing his campaign against Kush.
As you read note Ezana’s assessment of the Nubians. The following terms
may be new to you: ford, thereupon, masonry, foundered. You may want
to use a dictionary to look them up.
Through the might of the Lord of All I took the field against the Noba
[Nubians] when the people of Noba revolted, when they boasted and “He
will not cross over the Takkaze,” said the Noba, when they did violence to
the peoples Mangurto and Hasa and Barya, and the Black Noba waged war
on the Red Noba and a second and third time broke their oath and without
consideration slew their neighbors and plundered our envoys and
messengers whom I had sent to interrogate them, robbing them of their
possessions and stealing their lances. When I sent again and they did not
hear me, and reviled me, and made off, I took the field against them. And I
armed myself with the power of the Lord of the Land and fought on the
Takkaze at the ford of Kemalke. And thereupon they fled and stood not
still, and I pursued the fugitives twenty-three days slaying them and
capturing others and taking plunder from them, where I came; while
prisoners and plunder were brought back by my own people who marched
out; while I burnt their towns, those of masonry and those of straw, and
seized their corn and their bronze and the dried meat and the images in
their temples and destroyed the stocks of corn and cotton; and the enemy
plunged into the river Seda, and many perished in the water, the number I
know not, and as their vessels foundered a multitude of people, men and
women were drowned. . .
And I arrived at the Kasu [Kush], slaying them and taking others
prisoner at the junction of the rivers Seda and Takkaze. . . And I sent the
troop Halen and the troop Laken and the troop Sabarat and Falha and Sera
down the Seda against the towns of straw of the Noba and Negues; the
towns of masonry of the Kasu which the Noba had taken were Tabito,
Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Full Survey Chapter 10
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African Kingdoms
Name _____________________________ Class _________________ Date __________________
Primary Source
African Kingdoms
Fertoti; and they arrived at the territory of the Red Noba, and my people
returned safe and sound after they had taken prisoners and slain others and
had seized their plunder through the power of the Lord of Heaven. And I
erected a throne at the junction of the rivers Seda and Takkaze, opposite
the town of masonry which is on this peninsula.
Source: King Ezana, c. 325 AD, stelae inscription
WHAT DID YOU LEARN?
1. Explain According to Ezana, why did war break out between Aksum and Kush?
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2. Assess What does Ezana believe were the key factors in his victory over the
Nubians, or people of Kush?
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3. Contrast Viewpoints Suppose that a Kush historian wrote about the same events
described in the stelae inscription. How do you think his or her account might differ
from that of Ezana?
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Original content Copyright © by Holt, Rinehart and Winston. Additions and changes to the original content are the responsibility of the instructor.
Full Survey Chapter 10
13
African Kingdoms