While people have lived on the fertile plateau of Tigray in Northern Ethiopia for thousands of years, it was not until about 2,000 years ago that the city of Axum (also spelled Aksum) was founded. The city quickly gained importance as the capital of one of the most prosperous African states. It would later become one of the world’s earliest Christian kingdoms.
The archaeological site of Axum includes several groups of tall, narrow, stone stelae which were used to mark royal graves. Some of the stelae are 33 meters (over 100 feet) in height. They were carved from single pieces of granite and may weigh more than 500 tons. Most of the obelisks have altars at their bases and all were aligned toward the rising sun. The altars may have been used for sacrifices.
While most of the stelae have fallen down, the tallest standing stele was carved to resemble a conventional building: a nine-story tower-house. The main decorations in front depict windows and timber-beams. The house-like illusion was enhanced by carving a false door just above the altar at the bottom of the monument. The top of the stela was carved into a semi-circular form which symbolized the heavens.
One of the fallen stele has a relief carving near its apex which some believe may be one of the earliest representations of the Ark of the Covenant. It shows two leaves supporting a square and within the square there is a triangle.
In addition to the stelae, the site contains tombs, monolithic platforms and urban materials. There are three monumental multi-roomed buildings which are known as Enda Mika’el, Enda Semon, and Ta’akha Mariam. These served as the royal residences of some of the rulers of Axum.
Enda Mika’el had four square towers and stood four stories high. It measured 120 meters by 80 meters and is considered to be one of the world’s earliest castles.
At its height the empire of Axum spread across most of present-day Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia, and northern Sudan. It dominated states on the Arabian Peninsula across the Red Sea and made them pay a regular tribute to Axum.
The Aksumites were farmers who raised crops such as wheat and barley, and raised cattle, sheep, and camels. They also hunted wild animals which provided them with ivory and rhinoceros horns which were in demand as trade items in other parts of the world.
About 100 CE, a major trade network developed between the Red Sea and India which took advantage of the annual monsoon winds. Axum was geographically positioned to play a key part of the trade between India and the Mediterranean. They exported ivory, tortoise shell, gold and emeralds. They imported silk and spices. Their access to both the Red Sea and the Upper Nile enabled their strong navy to profit in trade between African, Arabian, and Indian states.
The Empire of Axum developed its own alphabet: the Ge’ez alphabet (which evolved from Epigraphic South Arabian). It was modified to include vowels.
Axum was the first African country to issue its own coins. From approximately 270 until 610, they minted coins of gold, silver, and bronze which bore legends in Ge’ez and Greek. The coins simplified trade and were also a useful instrument of propaganda. Most of Aksum's coins had mottoes such as "May the country be satisfied," and "Joy to the People." These were clearly attempts to make the government popular with the people.
In 325 CE, the people of Axum were converted to Christianity. At this time King Ezana embraced Christianity and was baptized as Abreha. Axum became the first major empire to convert to Christianity. Christianity was brought to Axum by Coptic Christians from Egypt. This led to the formation of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
While King Ezana wished to spread Christianity throughout the empire, he realized that he had to be pragmatic. For political reasons, and for his safety, he never publicly abandoned Ethiopia's old Gods.
According to tradition, Coptic Christianity began with the visit of the Holy Family to Egypt. According to a A History of Coptic Christians by Lara Iskander and Jimmy Dunn:
Copts relate that the blessing of Christianity on their country goes back to the days when Jesus was a young boy. The holy family, consisting of the baby Jesus, Mary and Joseph traveled to Egypt and lived there for some time. Numerous traditions exist about the exact locations that the holy family visited and many take annual pilgrimages following this route (it is also a popular tourist route)
Axum remained a strong empire and trading empire until the rise of Islam in the seventh century. Axum, which had provided shelter for Mohammed’s early followers, remained on good terms with their Muslim neighbors. As the Islamic Empire took control of the Red Sea, Axum was forced into isolation. In the seventh century, Axum stopped producing their own coins.