The Kingdom of Aksum was located in what is now Eritrea and Ethiopia. It rose to power between 300-700 CE and conquered the Kush kingdom. Under King Ezana in the 4th century CE, Aksum expanded its control over Yemen and burned Meroe to the ground. Aksum established the port of Adulis and traded goods from Africa, Arabia, India and the Mediterranean. It developed a written language and was one of the first African civilizations to produce its own coinage. Aksum converted to Christianity under King Ezana and exported the religion throughout the region. However, the kingdom fell in the 8th century after the Muslim conquest of Arabia cut off its

1. Section 3
THE KINGDOM OF AKSUM

2. Aksum
300-700 CE
Djenne-Djeno Queen of Sheba
250 BCE Int’l Trade
Banks of Niger River tributary Adulis on coast; Aksum Inland
50,000 ppl Ezana converts
Falls to Islam 710 CE
Nok Culture
500-200 BCE
First iron-smelting
Bantu migrations
500 BCE- 1500 CE
Searching for new, fertile soil
Iron-tipped weapons in
territorial wars

3. THE KINGDOM OF AKSUM
Eventually Seeking Ivory
became to trade in
colonies of Persia
farmers and
traders
Brought
silk, textiles and
spices from eastern
trade routes
Arab traders
established
Located in trading
what is today settlements
Arose and Eritrea and
conquered Ethiopia
Kush
kingdom

4. THE LEGEND OF AKSUM
• Kingdom of Aksum and Ethiopian royal
dynasty traced to King Solomon
(Israel) and of the Queen of Sheba
(country in S. Arabia)
• Dynasty lasted until 20 th century
when Haile Selassie died in 1975
• 1st mention in 100 CE, Periplus of the
Erythraen Sea, describing Zoskales
the supposed 1st King who was greedy
but intelligent in classical languages
• Seized areas of Red Sea and Blue
Nile and also lands on the South
Western Arabian peninsula

5. AKSUM CONTROLS INTERNATIONAL TRADE

6. A STRONG LEADER EXPANDS THE KINGDOM
• Reached to its height b/w 325-360 CE
• Ezana-
• Conquered Yemen (Arabian
Peninsula)
• 350- conquered the Kushites, &
burned Meroe to the ground
• Port City of Adulis provided a diverse
cultural heritage
• Egypt, Arabia, Greece, Rome, Byza
ntine, Persia and India
• Greek was the international language
of the time

7. AKSUMITE RELIGION
Sacrifices
of oxen to
Animists- Mahrem or
Ares
worshipped
nature & Monotheistic-
dead Mahrem (King
ancestors descended from
him)

9. AKSUM BECOMES CHRISTIAN
Ezana was raised by a
Christian man from Syria
Took the throne &
Converted to Christianity
and established in as
the kingdom’s religion
Conversion Longest lasting
Today Ethiopia is home
strengthened hold on achievement of
to millions of Christians
Aksum Aksumites

10. AKSUMITE
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Unique Architecture- carved stone to fit
together tightly
• Erected monuments, or tomb markers
• built to celebrate Aksum
achievements
• Includes:
• False doors, windows, and timber
beams carved into the stone
• This one is 60 ft tall and one of the
largest in the ancient world still
standing
• Quarried and carved tow to three
miles away
• Dedicated to the Christian God by
Ezna

11. 1st state south of the
Only ancient African
Sahara to mint its own
kingdom to have a written
coin: “May the country be
language
satisfied”
Achievements
Dams and holding tanks
Terrace farming
for water

12. • Islam leader
THE FALL OF AKSUM Muhammad • Conquered all of Arabia by
632 CE
Aksum
protected
Muhammad’s • 710 destroyed Adulis
family during • Conquest cut off Aksum
Muslim from its trade
conquests
(632-750 CE)
• Depletion of forests and
To avoid Islam
Conversion, Aks
soil erosion
um moved its • Although tremendous in
capital over to tech, culture- never
the mts. Of n.
Ethiopia expanded outside its
small area