Aksum's Adulis Trade Empire

Timeline

1. 201–270Port of Aden · EritreaThe Kingdom of Aksum developed Adulis into a major Red Sea commercial port, gathering merchant ships from Roman Egypt, the Persian Gulf, India, and the African interior, exporting ivory, rhinoceros horn, gold, and spices, and importing cloth, glass, and metal goods.
2. 270–330Aksum · EthiopiaAksum became one of the earliest polities in sub-Saharan Africa to issue gold, silver, and copper coins on a large scale; currency circulation facilitated interregional trade settlement and strengthened the kingdom's control over trade-route tariffs and military escort.
3. 300–400Red Sea–Nile corridor · Red SeaAksum's military forces moved south to intervene in Nubian affairs, contesting Red Sea trade and upper Nile access with the Meroitic Kingdom of Kush; the trade empire's geopolitical influence reached the East African interior and southern Arabia.