Classical Civs in Africa

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Classical Civs in Africa
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Meroe

• Ancient Ethiopian City-State

• The largest site of Kush civilization's burial
  pyramids is at Meroe.

• Established circa 300 BCE
• Ancestral ties to dynastic Egypt
• Survived a Roman invasion
• Hieroglyphic alphabet that is as of yet
  untranslatable
• Massive iron productions
• Still unexcavated
• Height 1st century CE
• Declined as Axum (Aksum) gained power

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Axum

• Modern-day Ethiopia
• Aksumites controlled the Red Sea coastline and
  carried on extensive trade with Greek and
  Egyptian merchants, acting as the outlet for such
  sub-Saharan products as ebony, ivory, and exotic
  animals.
• By the 3rd century, the Aksumites were noted as a
  major empire
• Controlled the Horn of Africa and the southern
  portion of the Arabian Peninsula, from which they
  collected tribute.

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King Ezana

• 4th century CE
• Ezana conquered the Kush.
• Ezana gave credit to the Christian God, marking
  the fact that Aksum was converted to Christianity
  during his reign.

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Axum Religion

• Tolerant Christians Jewish, Kushite, and even
  Buddhist enclaves
• Good trade relations with the Byzantine Empire
• With the growth of Islam, the power of Aksum
  began to slip, though the Aksumites sheltered
  persecuted Muslims from Mecca
• Christian island in a sea of Islam and maintained
  cordial relations with its neighbors
• Though not conquered by Islam, Aksum would not
  regain its former influence.

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Other Azum Facts

• Controlled extensive fertile land that gave a
  solid agricultural base
• 3rd century on well known for its architecture
  and monolithic monuments
• First African nation to mint coins in gold,
  silver, and copper

Aksumite king Ezana's stela, one of the massive
stone pillars that remain a vivid emblem of the
skill of craftspeople in the kingdom of Aksum.
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Resources

• "Aksum." World History Ancient and Medieval
  Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.
• "Aksumite crowns." Image. Corel. World History
  Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web.
  13 Dec. 2010.
• "Kingdoms of Kush and Aksum." Map. World History
  Ancient and Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web.
  13 Dec. 2010
• "Meroe burial pyramids." Image. Uros
  Ravbar/Dreamstime. World History Ancient and
  Medieval Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.
  
• "Meroe." World History Ancient and Medieval
  Eras. ABC-CLIO, 2010. Web. 13 Dec. 2010.
• http//www.pbs.org/wonders/Episodes/Epi1/1_wondr4.
  htm