The Kingdom of Aksum was a trading nation in the area of northern
Ethiopia and Eritrea, which existed from approximately 100–940 AD.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE [ edit ]
Discuss the characteristics of the Kingdom of Aksum
KEY POINTS [ edit ]
At its height, Aksum controlled northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, northern Sudan, southern Egypt,
Djibouti, Western Yemen, and southern Saudi Arabia, totaling 1.25 million square kilometers.
The Aksumites were known for their participation in global commerce, their alphabet, and their
coins.
Aksum remained a strong, though weakened, empire and trading power until the rise of Islam in
the 7th century.
TERMS [ edit ]
Aksum
The capital of the Kingdom of Aksum.
Queen of Sheba
was a monarch of the ancient kingdom of Sheba (modern­day Yemen or possibly South Arabia)
and is referred to in Yemenite and Ethiopian history, the Bible the Qur'an and Josephus
Give us feedback on this content: FULL TEXT [ edit ]
The Kingdom of Aksum was a trading nation in the area of northern Ethiopia and Eritrea,
which existed from approximately 100–940 AD.
Location of Aksumite Empire
Aksum was previously thought to have been founded by Semitic­speaking Sabaeans who
crossed the Red Sea from South Arabia (modern Yemen), but most scholars now agree that
when it was founded it was an indigenous African development.The Empire of Aksum at its
height at times extended across most of present­day Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, Western
Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The capital city of the empire was Aksum, now in
northern Ethiopia. Its ancient capital, also called Aksum, was in northern Ethiopia. The
Kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the 4th century. It is also the alleged resting
place of the Ark of the Covenant and the purported home of theQueen of Sheba. Today a
smaller community, the city of Aksum was once a bustling metropolis, cultural and economic
center.
Covering parts of what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, Aksum was deeply involved in
the trade network between India and the Mediterranean (Rome, later Byzantium), exporting
ivory, tortoise shell, gold and emeralds, and importing silk and spices. Aksum's access to
both the Red Sea and the Upper Nile enabled its strong navy to profit in trade between
various African (Nubia), Arabian (Yemen), and Indian states.
In the 3rd century, Aksum began intervening in South Arabian affairs, controlling at times
the western Tihama region among other areas. At its height, Aksum controlled northern
Ethiopia, Eritrea, northern Sudan, southern Egypt, Djibouti, Western Yemen, and southern
Saudi Arabia, totaling 1.25 million square kilometers.
Aksum converted to Christianity in 325 or 328 under King Ezana and was the first state ever
to use the image of the cross on its coins. By 350, they conquered the Kingdom ofKush.
Around 520, the King Kaleb sent an expedition to Yemen against the Jewish Himyarite King
Dhu Nuwas, who was persecuting the Christian/Aksumite community in his kingdom. Dhu
Nuwas was deposed and killed and Kaleb appointed a Christian Himyarite, Sumuafa Ashawa,
as his viceroy. However, around 525 this viceroy was deposed by the Aksumite general
Abreha with support of Ethiopians who had settled in Yemen, and withheld tribute to Kaleb.
When Kaleb sent another expedition against Abreha this force defected, killing their
commander, and joining Abreha. Another expedition sent against them was defeated, leaving
Yemen under Abreha's rule, where he continued to promote the Christian faith until his
death, not long after which Yemen was conquered by the Persians. According to Munro­Hay
these wars may have been Aksum's swan­song as a great power, with an overall weakening of
Aksumite authority and over­expenditure in money and manpower. According to Ethiopian
traditions, Kaleb eventually abdicated and retired to a monastery. It is also possible that
Ethiopia was affected by the Plague of Justinian around this time, a disease thought to be the
first recorded instance of bubonic plague.
Trading and Culture
The economically important northern Silk Road and southern Spice (Eastern) trade routes. The sea
routes around the horn of Arabia and the Indian sub­continent were Aksum's specialty for nearly a
millennium.
Extent of Silk Route/Silk Road. Red is land route and the blue is the sea/water route.
Covering parts of what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, Aksum was deeply involved in
the trade network between India and the Mediterranean (Rome, later Byzantium), exporting
ivory, tortoise shell, gold and emeralds, and importing silk and spices. Aksum's access to
both the Red Sea and the Upper Nile enabled its strong navy to profit in trade between
various African (Nubia), Arabian (Yemen), and Indian states.
The main exports of Aksum were, as would be expected of a state during this time,
agricultural products. The land was much more fertile during the time of the Aksumites than
now, and their principal crops were grains such as wheat and barley. The people of Aksum
also raised cattle, sheep, and camels. Wild animals were also hunted for things such as ivory
and rhinoceros horns. They traded with Roman traders as well as with Egyptian and Persian
merchants. The empire was also rich with gold and iron deposits. These metals were valuable
to trade, but another mineral was also widely traded. Salt was found richly in Aksum and was
traded quite frequently.After a second golden age in the early 6th century, the empire began
to decline, eventually ceasing its production of coins in the early 7th century. Around this
same time, the Aksumite population was forced to go farther inland to the highlands for
protection, abandoning Aksum as the capital. Arab writers of the time continued to describe
Ethiopia (no longer referred to as Aksum) as an extensive and powerful state, though they
had lost control of most of the coast and their tributaries. While land was lost in the north, it
was gained in the south, and though Ethiopia was no longer an economic power it still
attracted Arab merchants. The capital was moved to a new location, currently unknown,
though it may have been called Ku'bar or Jarmi.
Ousas
Auksimite coins.
The Empire of Aksum is notable for a number of achievements, such as its own alphabet, the
Ge'ez alphabet which was eventually modified to include vowels, becoming an abugida.
Furthermore, in the early times of the empire, around 1700 years ago, giant Obelisks to mark
emperor's (and nobles') tombs (underground grave chambers) were constructed, the most
famous of which is the Obelisk of Aksum.
Obelisk of Aksum
The obelisk ­­ properly termed a 'stele' or, in the local Afro­Asiatic languages, hawilt/hawilti
(as it is not topped by a pyramid) ­­ is found along with many other stelae in the city of Axum
in modern­day Ethiopia. The stelae were probably carved and erected during the 4th century
A.D. by subjects of the Kingdom of Aksum, an ancient Ethiopian civilization. Erection of
stelae in Axum was a very old practice (today it is still possible to see primitive roughly
carved stelae near more elaborated "obelisks"), probably borrowed from the Kushitic
kingdom of Meroe. Their function is supposed to be that of "markers" for underground burial
chambers. The largest of the grave markers were for royal burial chambers and were
decorated with multi­story false windows and false doors, while nobility would have smaller,
less decorated ones. While there are only a few large ones standing, there are hundreds of
smaller ones in various "stelae fields". The last stele erected in Axum was probably the so­
called King Ezana's Stele, in the 4th century A.D.
Decline
Aksum remained a strong, though weakened, empire and trading power until the rise of
Islam in the 7th century. Eventually, the Islamic Empire took control of the Red Sea and
most of the Nile, forcing Aksum into economic isolation. Northwest of Aksum in modern day
Sudan, the Christian states of Makuria and Alodia lasted till the 13th century before
becoming Islamic. Aksum, isolated, nonetheless still remained Christian.