BDC #20 - The Aksumite Empire: The Lost-unwellknown-Great Empire

Have you ever heard of The Aksumite Empire? Do you know where is it?

Well, try to look at this map, could you recognize the location?

 

Anybody?

Oh, I see somebody raises her hand over there....What? Ethiopia?

YUP!!! You are right!!

The Kingdom of Aksum or The Aksumite Empire existed around 700BC-900AD. It played a very high role in the commerce between Roman Empire and Ancient India. 

Aksum Chronology

• Pre-Aksumite ~700-400 BC - 16 known sites, including: Kidane Mehret, Hwalti, Melka, LP56 
• Proto-Aksumite ~400-50 BC - 34 Sites: Bieta Giyorgis, Ona Nagast
• Early Aksumite ~50 BC-AD 150 - 130 Sites: Mai Agam, TgLM 143, Matara
• Classic Aksumite ~AD 150-400/450 - 110 Sites: LP 37, TgLM 98, Kidane Mehret
• Middle Aksumite ~AD 400/450-550 - 40 Sites: Kidane Mehret
• Late Aksumite ~AD 550-700 - 30 Sites: Kidane Mehret
• Post-Aksumite after ~AD 700 - 76 Sites: Maryam Sion

The earliest monumental architecture indicating the beginnings of the polity of Aksum firstly identified at Bieta Giyorgis hill, near the modern Aksum city. It possibly began about 400 BC (the Proto-Aksumite period). There, archaeologists have also found several elite tombs and some administrative artifacts. The settlement pattern points out the societal complexity, with a large elite cemetery located on the hilltop, and small scattered settlements below. The first monumental building with semi-subterranean rectangular rooms is Ona Nagast, a building that continued in importance through the Early Aksumite period.

The Proto-Aksumite burials were just some simple pit graves covered with platforms and marked with pointed stones, pillars or flat slabs between 2-3 meters high. By the end of proto-Aksumite period, the tombs were elaborated pit-graves, with more grave goods and stelae. These monoliths were 4-5 meters high, with a notch in the top.

 

During their glory, The Aksumite Empire extended across most of present-day Eritrea, Ethiopia, Western Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia and Sudan. The capital city of the empire was Aksum, which still exist as a modern city now in northern Ethiopia. 

In the 3rd century, Aksum began interfering in South Arabian affairs, even took control over the western Tihama region among other areas. It managed to dominate states on the Arabian Peninsula across the Red Sea, making them pay a regular tribute to the Empire. By the late 3rd century it had begun minting its own currency and was named as one of the four great powers of his time along with Persia, Rome, and China. 

They converted to Christianity in around 320 BC under King Ezana and was the first state ever in the world to use the image of the cross on its coins. 

 

Aksum remained a strong empire and trading power until the rise of Islam in the Arabic region in 7th century. Unlike the relations between the Islamic powers and Christian Europe, during that time, The Empire even provided shelter to The Great Prohet Muhammad's early followers around 615. They were considerably on good terms with their Islamic neighbors. Unfortunately, as early as 640, Umar ibn al-Khattāb sent a naval expedition against Adulis under Alkama bin Mujazziz, but it was eventually defeated. This invasion began the decline scenario of the Empire, though in 702 Aksumite pirates were able to invade the Hejaz and occupy Jeddah. Reacting to this lost, in retaliation, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malik was able to take the Dahlak Archipelago from Aksum, which became Muslim from that point on, though later recovered in the 9th century and vassal to the Emperor of Ethiopia.

In the end, the Islamic Empire managed to take control of the Red Sea and most of the Nile, forcing Aksum into economic isolation. Northwest of Aksum in modern day Sudan, the Christian states of Maqurra and Alwa lasted till the 13th century before becoming Islamic. Though Aksum, since it was isolated, still remained Christian.

After a second golden age in the early 6th century, the empire began to decline, eventually ceasing its production of coins in the early 7th century. Nearly in the same time, the Aksumite population was forced to go farther inland to the highlands for protection. Local history holds that a Jewish Queen named Yodit (Judith) or "Gudit" defeated the empire and burned its churches and literature, though her existence has been questioned by some modern authors. 

Who knows, that a country who is identical with struggle through the modern era was once considered one of the biggest 4 Empire during their time?

Now you know ^^