Kingdom of Aksum facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Aksumite Empire መንግስቲ ኣኽሱም (Ge'ez)
c. 100 AD – c. 940 AD
Aksumite currency depicting King Endubis
All territories ever part of the Aksumite Empire
Capital	Aksum
Common languages	Ge'ez
Religion	Arabian polytheism (pre-Aksumite to 4th century) Judaism (before c. 330) Christianity (Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; after c. 330)
Government	Monarchy
Negūs
• c. 100	Za Haqala (first known)
• c. 940	Dil Na'od (last)
Historical era	Classical Antiquity to Early Middle Ages
• Established	c. 100 AD
• Conquest by Gudit	c. 960 AD
Area
350	1,250,000 km2 (480,000 sq mi)
Currency	AU, AR, AE units
Preceded by Succeeded by Dʿmt Himyarite Kingdom Medri Bahri Zagwe dynasty Makuria Alodia Sasanian Empire
Today part of	Eritrea Ethiopia Djibouti Somalia Yemen Sudan Saudi Arabia Egypt

This article contains Ethiopic text. Without the correct software, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Ethiopic characters.

The Kingdom of Aksum (Ge'ez: መንግስቲ ኣኽሱም), also known as the Kingdom of Axum or the Aksumite Empire, was an ancient kingdom centered in what is now Eritrea and the Tigray Region of northern Ethiopia. Axumite Emperors were powerful sovereigns, styling themselves King of kings, king of Aksum, Himyar, Raydan, Saba, Salhen, Tsiyamo, Beja and of Kush. Ruled by the Aksumites, it existed from approximately 80 BC to AD 825. It was centered in the city of Axum and grew from the proto-Aksumite Iron Age period around the 4th century BC. It became important by the 1st century AD. Aksum became a major player on the commercial route between the Roman Empire and Ancient India. The Aksumite rulers made trade easier by minting their own Aksumite currency. The state also assumed its hegemony over the declining Kingdom of Kush. It also regularly entered the politics of the kingdoms on the Arabian Peninsula and eventually extended its rule over the region with the conquest of the Himyarite Kingdom. The Manichaei prophet Mani (died 274 AD) regarded Axum as one of the four great powers of his time; the others were Persia, Rome, and China.

The Aksumites built monumental stelae, which served a religious purpose in pre-Christian times. One of these granite columns is the largest such structure in the world, at 90 feet. Under Ezana (fl. 320–360) Aksum adopted Christianity. In the 7th century, early Muslims from Mecca sought refuge from Quraysh persecution by travelling to the kingdom, a journey known in Islamic history as the First Hijra.

The kingdom's ancient capital, also called Axum, is now a town in Tigray Region (northern Ethiopia). The Kingdom used the name "Ethiopia" as early as the 4th century. Tradition claims Axum as the alleged resting place of the Ark of the Covenant and the purported home of the Queen of Sheba.

Images for kids

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  An Axumite jar spout

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  The King Ezana's Stela, an Aksumite obelisk in Axum, Ethiopia

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  A 1907 reproduction of the damaged painting Painting of the Six Kings depicting the Ethiopian Emperor of Axum, created by an Umayyad Caliphate painter in the 8th century AD.

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  The Ezana Stone records negus Ezana's conversion to Christianity and his subjugation of various peoples nearby, including Meroë

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  Axumite Menhir in Balaw Kalaw (Metera) near Senafe

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  Map of the Axumite holdings in South Arabia, 230 AD

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  Fresco of the war of Persian king Khosrow I against Masruq Abraha in Yemen

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  14th century illustration showing the king of Aksum declining the request of a Meccan delegation to yield up the Muslims. It is also known as First Hijrah

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  The economically important northern Silk Road and southern Spice (Eastern) trade routes. The sea routes around the horn of Africa and the Indian sub-continent made Aksum an important trading port for nearly a millennium.

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  An Ethiopian illuminated Evangelist portrait of Mark the Evangelist, from the Ethiopian Garima Gospels, 6th century, Kingdom of Aksum, influenced by Eastern Roman art

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  Ruins of Al–Qalis Church cathedral built by Abraha in Sana'a between 527 and 560

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  Typical Aksumite architecture – the monastery of Debre Damo.

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  Coins of king Endybis, 227–235 AD. British Museum. The left one reads ΑΞΩΜΙΤΩ BICIΔΑΧΥ, possily "man of Dachu, (king) of Axumites", linguistically mixed(?). The right one reads in Greek ΕΝΔΥΒΙC ΒΑCΙΛΕΥC, "King Endybis".

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  Silver coin of Ezana.

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  Ruins of the Dungur palace in Axum.

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  Reconstruction of Dungur

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  The largest Aksumite stele, broken where it fell.

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  Aksumite-era Amphora from Asmara.

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  The Obelisk of Aksum after being returned to Ethiopia.

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  Model of the Ta'akha Maryam palace.

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  Aksumite water-spouts in the shape of lion heads.

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  Aksumite jar with figural spout.

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  Tombs beneath the stele field.

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  Entrance to the Tomb Of The False Door.

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  The Stelae Park in Aksum.

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  Small stelae in the Gudit Stelae Field

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  Another stelae field in Aksum.

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  Istifanos Monastery in Hayk.

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  Aksumite gold coins.

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  Aksum stelle and ruins

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  Aksum stelle in desert

See also

In Spanish: Reino de Axum para niños