D'mt

D'mt was a state in Horn of Africa (North and West Africa) that lasted from c. 980 to 400 BCE, about 580 years. Its people spoke Semitic languages (Akkadian, Amorite, Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya).

Kingdom of the northern Ethiopian highlands with strong ties to Saba across the Red Sea, known for the temple at Yeha and early inscriptions in a South Arabian script.

See D'mt on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates: c. 980 to 400 BCE
Duration: 580 years
Type: State
Region: Horn of Africa, North and West Africa
Language family: Semitic
Capital: Yeha

Came from

Ethiopian highland farmers c. 3000 to 980 BCE

Became

Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE

Events in North and West Africa during its time

814 BCE Founding of Carthage
728 BCE Piye conquers Egypt
500 BCE Iron smelting in West Africa

Neighbours in North and West Africa

Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE
Kingdom of Kush (Napatan period) c. 785 to 300 BCE
Land of Punt c. 2500 to 980 BCE
Garamantes c. 500 BCE to 700 CE
Cyrene and the Greek Pentapolis 631 to 96 BCE
Third Intermediate Period c. 1069 to 664 BCE
Late Period of Egypt 664 to 332 BCE
El-Kurru chiefdom c. 1000 to 785 BCE
Achaemenid Egypt 525 to 404 BCE
Twenty-fifth Dynasty (Kushite) c. 744 to 656 BCE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

Roman Republic 509 to 27 BCE, Europe
Greek city-states c. 800 to 338 BCE, Europe
Neo-Assyrian Empire 911 to 609 BCE, Middle East
Achaemenid Empire 550 to 330 BCE, Middle East
Athens 508 to 322 BCE, Europe

Questions

When did D'mt exist?

c. 980 to 400 BCE, about 580 years. These dates are approximate, because the evidence for its beginning or end is uncertain.

Where was D'mt?

Horn of Africa, in North and West Africa. Its capital was Yeha.

What language did D'mt speak?

Semitic. This family includes Akkadian, Amorite, Aramaic, Hebrew, Phoenician, Ge'ez, Amharic, Tigrinya.

What came before D'mt?

Ethiopian highland farmers.

What came after D'mt?

Kingdom of Aksum.