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Kingdom of Aksum

Type Object Region East Africa Time c. 50–700

The Kingdom of Aksum was an East African trading power ruling the Ethiopian Highlands and Red Sea coast from the 1st to 7th centuries CE, centered on…

Timeline

  1. c. 50–200Aksum · EthiopiaIn the 1st–2nd centuries CE, Aksum traded ivory, spices, and gold with Rome, Persia, and the Indian subcontinent by controlling shipping in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea, and its power expanded rapidly.
  2. c. 320–400Aksum · EthiopiaDuring the reign of King Ezana the kingdom officially converted to Christianity; coinage and stele inscriptions switched to Greek, Ge'ez, and South Arabian, deeply fusing religion with royal institutions.
  3. c. 400–500Territory of the Kingdom of Aksum · EritreaIn the 5th century CE Aksum maintained influence over parts of Yemen and kept diplomatic and religious ties with the Byzantine Empire; its obelisks and palace architecture reached their peak.

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