The Empire of Axum is notable for a number of achievements, such as its own alphabet, the Ge'ez alphabet which was eventually modified to include vowels, becoming an abugida. Furthermore, in the early times of the empire, around 1700 years ago, giant Obelisks to mark emperor's tombs were constructed, the most famous of which is the Obelisk of Axum.
Under Emperor Ezana, Aksum adopted Christianity in place of its former polytheistic and Judaic religions around 325 BC. This gave rise to the present day Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. Since the schism with orthodoxy following the Council of Chalcedon, it has been an important Miaphysitechurch, and its scriptures and liturgy continue to be in Ge'ez.
It was a cosmopolitan state. Culturally, it was a meeting place for a variety of people: Eritrean, Ethiopian, Egyptian, Sudanic, Arabic, and Indian. The largest cities of the realm had Sabean, Jewish, Nubian, Christian, and even Buddhist minorities.
Axum remained a strong empire and trading power until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. However, unlike the relations between the Islamic powers and Christian Europe, Axum, which provided shelter to Muhammad's early followers around 615, was on good terms with its Islamic neighbors. Nevertheless, as early as 640, Umar ibn al-Khattāb sent a naval expedition against Adulis under Alkama bin Mujazziz, but it was eventually defeated. Axumite naval power also declined throughout the period, though in 702 Axumite pirates were able to invade the Hejaz and occupy Jeddah. In retaliation, however, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malikwas able to take the Dahlak Archipelago from Axum, which became Muslim from that point on, though later recovered in the 9th century and vassal to the Emperor of Ethiopia.
The Empire of Axum was one of the first African polities economically and politically ambitious enough to issue its own coins, which bore legends in Ge'ez and Greek. From the reign of Endubis up to Armah, gold, silver and bronze coins were minted. Issuing coinage in ancient times was an act of great importance in itself, for it proclaimed that the Axumite Empire considered itself equal to its neighbors. Many of the coins are used as signposts about what was happening when they were minted. An example being the addition of the cross to the coin after the conversion of the empire to Christianity. The presence of coins also simplified trade, and was at once a useful instrument of propaganda and a source of profit to the empire.
Under Emperor Ezana, Aksum adopted Christianity in place of its former polytheistic and Judaic religions around 325 BC. This gave rise to the present day Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. Since the schism with orthodoxy following the Council of Chalcedon, it has been an important Miaphysitechurch, and its scriptures and liturgy continue to be in Ge'ez.
It was a cosmopolitan state. Culturally, it was a meeting place for a variety of people: Eritrean, Ethiopian, Egyptian, Sudanic, Arabic, and Indian. The largest cities of the realm had Sabean, Jewish, Nubian, Christian, and even Buddhist minorities.
Axum remained a strong empire and trading power until the rise of Islam in the 7th century. However, unlike the relations between the Islamic powers and Christian Europe, Axum, which provided shelter to Muhammad's early followers around 615, was on good terms with its Islamic neighbors. Nevertheless, as early as 640, Umar ibn al-Khattāb sent a naval expedition against Adulis under Alkama bin Mujazziz, but it was eventually defeated. Axumite naval power also declined throughout the period, though in 702 Axumite pirates were able to invade the Hejaz and occupy Jeddah. In retaliation, however, Sulayman ibn Abd al-Malikwas able to take the Dahlak Archipelago from Axum, which became Muslim from that point on, though later recovered in the 9th century and vassal to the Emperor of Ethiopia.
The Empire of Axum was one of the first African polities economically and politically ambitious enough to issue its own coins, which bore legends in Ge'ez and Greek. From the reign of Endubis up to Armah, gold, silver and bronze coins were minted. Issuing coinage in ancient times was an act of great importance in itself, for it proclaimed that the Axumite Empire considered itself equal to its neighbors. Many of the coins are used as signposts about what was happening when they were minted. An example being the addition of the cross to the coin after the conversion of the empire to Christianity. The presence of coins also simplified trade, and was at once a useful instrument of propaganda and a source of profit to the empire.