The Kingdom of Aksum

The Kingdom of Aksum was located in what is now Ethiopia and Eritrea in East Africa. It was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the ancient world. Aksum traded with Rome, India, and other faraway places. It lasted from about 100 to 940 CE.

A Trading Power

Aksum sat near the Red Sea, which made it a great place for trade. Merchants bought and sold gold, ivory, spices, and other goods. Aksum had its own written language called Ge'ez. The kingdom minted its own coins, one of the first in Africa to do so.

Religion and Monuments

Aksum was one of the first kingdoms in the world to adopt Christianity, around 330 CE. The people built tall stone towers called stelae that still stand today. Some of these stone pillars are over 70 feet tall. Aksum's influence shaped the culture of Ethiopia for centuries.

Fun Facts

• Aksum was one of the first kingdoms in the world to become Christian.
• The tallest standing stele in Aksum is about 79 feet tall and weighs 160 tons.
• A Persian writer once called Aksum one of the four great empires of the world.

Did You Know?

Legend says that the Ark of the Covenant is kept in a church in the ancient city of Aksum in Ethiopia.