The kingdom of Aksum
Aksum, the capital of the kingdom of the same name, in the Tigray Region, is the best known historical site in East Africa. In 1980, UNESCO added Aksum's archaeological sites to its list of World Heritage Sites. It was the focus of multiple excavations and research from 1955 to 2014 by French archeologists (J. Leclant, H. de Contenson, J. Doresse, F. Anfray, etc.).
A favourable environment
The city benefited from extremely advantageous conditions, including a vast fertile plain at an altitude of 2200 metres, with terrace cultivation, abundant rainfall, forests and granite from nearby quarries.
A long history from the 1st to 7th centuries BCE.
The choice of Aksum as the capital of the kingdom, as early as its first known sovereign Zoskales, was a confirmation of early establishments perhaps dating back to at least the 1st century BCE, rather than a foundational event. During the 2nd and 3rd centuries, the Aksum kingdom steadily extended its control over the whole of the Tigray region, its western limits but especially in the east towards the Red Sea and it now dominated both banks. A sign of the times, Aksum began to mint its own coins from 270.
The 4th century marked a high point in Aksum’s fortunes. Its sovereign, Ezana, owes his reputation in part to his monumental inscriptions in three writing systems. A decisive event occurred under his reign: his conversation to Christianity. From the beginning of the 5th century Ethiopia began to intervene in Yemen, which had converted to Judaism. The negus Ella Asbeha invaded the country but failed to secure his power base. The conquest of Aksum and South Arabia in 570 marked the decline of the kingdom that definitively disappeared in the early 7th century.
Antique city
In 2008, the Italian government returned the obelisk to Aksum, restoring the celebrated “Field of stelae" to its original appearance. Besides the obelisk, images of the “Nafash Mawcha" monument, multiple hypogea, royal thrones, quarries, the Dongur palace, and Our Lady of Zion cathedral, all remarkable landmarks on the site, can be found on the website.