Aksum Kingdom

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Aksum Kingdom

• The Rise and Fall

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Rise of the Aksum Kingdom

• Located south of ancient Kush
• Modern day Ethiopia
• Legend has it that it was founded by the son of
  King Solomon of ancient Israel and the Queen of
  the Sheba
• Begun around 1000 B.C.

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Rise of Aksum

• First ruler was Zoskales
• Known for his greed
• Aksum seized lands around the Red Sea and Blue
  Nile

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Aksum Controls International Trade

• Aksums location made it an important trading
  center
• It was a hub for caravan routes
• Traders came from Egypt, Persia, India, and the
  Roman Empire
• Traded salt, ivory, emeralds, and gold

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Strong Rulers

• Kingdom reached its height between A. D. 325 and
  360
• The ruler Ezana conquered parts of the Arabian
  peninsula
• In 350, Ezana conquered the Kush peoples

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Spread of Christianity

• The Aksumites unlike other African peoples,
  believed in only one god
• They called their god Mahrem
• The king was a direct descendent of him
• King Ezana converted to Christianity in
  451 A. D.
• Greek was the international language spoken in
  Aksum

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Fall of Aksum

• Aksum lasted for about 800 years
• Islamic invaders conquered Aksum
• The kingdom declined as a trade center