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Rise of the Kingdom of Aksum
In the 3rd–4th centuries CE, the Kingdom of Aksum rose rapidly on the Ethiopian and Eritrean highlands, controlling key Red Sea trade routes and enga…
Timeline
- 201–300Red Sea coast · Red SeaLeveraging its position astride the Red Sea–Indian Ocean route, the Kingdom of Aksum developed trade in ivory, gold, frankincense, and slaves, dealing with Roman and Indian merchants at ports such as Adulis; its power grew rapidly and it began extending influence into southern Arabia.
- 301–400Aksum · EthiopiaUnder King Ezana, Aksum issued its own coinage, erected giant obelisks, and converted to Christianity, becoming one of the earliest states in the world to formally adopt it. The kingdom reached its peak, maintained diplomatic ties with the Byzantine Empire, and became a representative of ancient East African civilization.
Sources
- Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity — Stuart Munro-Hay (1991)
- The Oxford Handbook of African Christianity — Elias Kifon Bongmba (ed.) (2022)