Kingdom of Aksum

Kingdom of Aksum was an empire in Horn of Africa (North and West Africa) that lasted from c. 100 to 940 CE, about 840 years. Its people spoke Semitic languages (Akkadian, Amorite, Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya).

Red Sea trading power that minted its own coins and raised giant stone stelae. King Ezana adopted Christianity around 330, and Aksum ruled Yemen in the 6th century before declining after the rise of Islam.

See Kingdom of Aksum on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 100 to 940 CE

Duration

840 years

Type

Empire

Region

Horn of Africa, North and West Africa

Language family

Semitic

Capital

Aksum

Came from

• D'mt c. 980 to 400 BCE

Became

• Zagwe dynasty c. 1137 to 1270 CE

Events in North and West Africa during its time

• 330 Aksum adopts Christianity
• 641 Arab conquest of Egypt
• 652 The Baqt treaty
• 670 Founding of Kairouan

Neighbours in North and West Africa

• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE
• Fatimid Caliphate 909 to 1171 CE
• Makuria c. 450 to 1312 CE
• Kanem Empire c. 700 to 1387 CE
• Kingdom of Kush (Meroitic period) c. 300 BCE to 350 CE
• Roman Africa 146 BCE to 439 CE
• Roman Egypt 30 BCE to 395 CE
• Vandal Kingdom 435 to 534 CE
• Garamantes c. 500 BCE to 700 CE
• Kingdom of Nri c. 900 to 1911 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE, Central and Southern Africa
• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE, Southeast Asia
• Moche (Mochica) c. 100 to 800 CE, South America
• Teotihuacan c. 100 BCE to 550 CE, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Khmer Empire 802 to 1431 CE, Southeast Asia
• Tiwanaku c. 400 to 1000 CE, South America
• Abbasid Caliphate 750 to 1258 CE, Middle East

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