Tigray Region: Difference between revisions

 

The Empire of Aksum, at its height, at times extended across most of present-day [[Eritrea]], Ethiopia, [[Djibouti]], Sudan, Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The capital city of the empire was [[Axum]], now in northern Ethiopia. Today a smaller community, the city of Axum was once a bustling metropolis and a cultural and economic hub. Two hills and two streams lie on the east and west expanses of the city; perhaps providing the initial impetus for settling this area. Along the hills and plain outside the city, the Aksumites had cemeteries with elaborate grave stones, which are called [[stelae]], or [[obelisk]]s. Other important cities included [[Yeha]], [[Hawulti-Melazo]], [[Matara, Eritrea|Matara]], [[Adulis]], and [[Qohaito]], the last three of which are now in Eritrea. By the reign of [[Endubis]] in the late 3rd century, Aksum had begun minting its own currency and was named by [[Mani (prophet)|Mani]] as one of the four great powers of his time, along with [[History of China|China]] and the [[Sassanid Empire|Sassanid]] and [[Roman Empire|Roman]] empires. It converted to [[Christianity]] in 325 or 328 under [[Ezana of Axum|King Ezana]] and was the first state to use the image of [[crucifix|the cross]] on its coins.<ref>{{cite web |title=Aksum |url=https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/15 |website=UNESCO World Heritage Centre |language=en |access-date=26 December 2019 |archive-date=28 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220828225403/https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/15 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mountain Constantines: The Christianization of Aksum and Iberia1 |url=http://users.clas.ufl.edu/sterk/junsem/haas.pdf |website=users.clas.ufl.edu |access-date=10 July 2017 |archive-date=29 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180329065343/http://users.clas.ufl.edu/sterk/junsem/haas.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

 

=== 11th to 19th century AD ===