The Conversation of Ezana
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: The Conversation of Ezana
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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The Conversion of Ezana
The kingdom of Aksum which reached its height during the reign of King Ezana. Although Christianity likely
presided among foreign merchants, Ezana is credited with Christianizing the affluent and expansive kingdom. The
reformation which took place in the ancient kingdom may have been a political maneuver to solidify trade
relations with the Roman Empire. Following the traditionally accepted legend of Frumentius and Aedesius’s
influence upon Ezana, Christianity presented itself first among the royal family. However, the legend does not
account for the discrepancies found in the Ge’ez inscriptions and Aksumite coinage. Was the king’s conversion the
result of personal beliefs or political persuasion? Examination of opposing viewpoints gives pause to the
traditionally accepted legend which focuses primarily upon the influence of the Syrian brothers and the influence
of their religious persuasion.
Shipwrecked off the Ethiopian coast while passing through the Red Sea in the fourth centuryAD, an encounter the
between the coastal people and the crew of a merchant ship escalated into a fatal conflict in which only two
young Syrian Christian brothers survived. After their capture, the brothers, Frumentius and Aedesius, The king took
notice of the youths’ Greek education. Aedesius appointed the king’s cupbearer, Frumentius became the “master
of correspondence and accounts.” Upon his death, the king released the brothers from their enslaved status, but
the queen coaxed them into remaining in the kingdom to assist in the administration of the Aksum until her
young son, Ezana, reached maturity. Under the direction of Frumentius, Christian merchants were allowed
privileges in the kingdom and places to worsh...
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