Da'amat Zagwe Dynasty
12th - 13th Century







The Kingdom of Aksum



Although legend has it that the Kingdom of Aksum (Axum) traces it's origins from the Sabaean Kingdom in Yemen, it is believed that it emerged locally.
It emerged as a Kingdom based on trade in the 2nd century A.D.; ADALIS on the Red Sea was an important port city. Under King EZANA, ca. 325, CHRISTIANITY was introduced, by FRUMENTIUS OF TYRE. Aksumite christianity is of the MONOPHYSITE branch, similar to that of the Coptic church in Egypt. Christianity became the dominant religion; the city of Aksum became seat of a METROPOLITAN (equivalent of an archbishop). There were also Jewish and Buddhist communities. In church ritual, the use of the national language, GE'EZ, was introduced instead of Greek. Coins with christian symbols (crosses) were minted since c. 330 A.D., the AKSUMITE COINS being the first in the world to regularly display such symbols.
The Kingdom of Aksum expanded by the means of conquest, as EZANA'S INSCRIPTION of ca. 325 indicates. An Aksumite invasion lead to the collapse of the Kingdom of Meroe (in Sudan). Aksum also established a foothold in southern Arabia, which they lost to the Persians in the later 6th century.
The rapid expansion of Islam had a negative impact on the trading connections of Aksum, which remained christian. In the 10th century, GUDIT (Judith), a female FELASHA (Ethiopian Jewish) warrior, deposed the king, ending the Solomonian Dynasty, and ruled for ca. 40 years, until she was overthrown in ca. 1030.






EXTERNAL
FILES 		The Kingdom of Axum, from Global Consortium, many links, some not working
Library of Congress, Country Studies : Ethiopia
Article from Catholic Encyclopedia : Axum, Edesius and Frumentius; John the Damascene (on Barlaam and Josaphat), Barlaam and Josaphat, Ethiopia
Aksum, an African Civilization of Late Antiquity, by Stuart Munro-Hay
Civilizations in Africa : Axum, from World Civilizations, by Richard Hooker/WSU
Archaeology : The Kingdom of Aksum, from about.com
The Kingdom of Aksum in Ethiopia, from Building Information Network, about 1974 excavations
World Heritage Sites in Ethiopia, from World Heritage List, links
Ethiopia, history of, article from Infoplease
A Historical Explanation as to Why Members & Supportes of the TPLF are Ethnocentric, from Ethiopian Computers and Software, detailed history
African Cultures : Pre-Axumites, from about.com
Travel Ethiopia : Axum, from Ethiopia Online
The Question of the Looted Aksum Obelisk, by Richard Pankhurst
Links to Axumite History, from Looksmart; on the Aksum Obelisk from Ethiopia Online
The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, from EOTC, history, doctrines, sacraments, creed
Frumentius of Ethiopia, from the Ecole Glossary; St. Frumentius, from Catholic Online Saints; St. Frumentius, from Saints of the Day; Illustration of St. Frumentius from Patron Saints
Barlaam and Ioasaph, from the Ecole Glossary
Ge'ez Alphabet
Native Ethiopian Saints, webposting by Norman H. Redington; Ethiopian Christianity, webposting by Norman H. Redington
A Brief History of Trade and Business in Ethiopia from Ancient to Modern Times, by Richard Pankhurst, scroll for Aksum
Axumite Kings of Ethiopia, from Iyassu's Homepage
The Axumite Civilization, from Iyassu's Homepage, excellent illiustrations - obelisks, inscriptions/alphabet, coins
Das Reich von Axum, by Boeck (in German)
Article Aksumitische Muenzen, from Das Grosse Muenzlexikon (The Great Numismatic Lexicon), posted by Verlag Reppa, in German
DOCUMENTS Incription from King Ezana, 325 C.E., from Ancient History Sourcebook; Procopius on Axum, from AHS, Accounts of Meroe, Kush and Axum and AHS, Ancient Accounts on Arabia
Images from Axum, from Images from World History
Barlaam and Iasaph, from OMACL
Axumite Crosses and Coins, from Early Ethiopian Art
REFERENCE



This page is part of World History at KMLA
First posted in 2001, last revised on November 7th 2004

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