Chapter 8 Section 2 The Kingdom of Aksum and East African Trade

1. Chapter 8 Section 2The Kingdom of Aksum and East African Trade Preview: How can a city’s location near the sea causes it to rise as well as decline?

2. The Rise of the Kingdom of Aksum Aksum’s Geography • Aksum—kingdom replaces Kush in East Africa; blend of Africans and Arabs traders about 100 B.C. • Located on Horn of Africa, modern day Ethiopia and Eritrea • Trading kingdom linking Africa and Indian Ocean trade routes The Origins of Aksum •Land first mentioned in Greek guidebook in A.D. 100 • Rulers take control of areas around Blue Nile and Red Sea •Dynasty of Aksum rules until 1975; ends with death of HaileSelassie

3. Aksum Controls International Trade Aksum Controls International Trade • Aksum is hub for caravan routes to Egypt and Meroë, capital of Kush •Adulis, chief port, has access to MediterraneanSea, Indian Ocean (Egypt, Arabia, India, Roman Empire) A Strong Ruler Expands the Kingdom •King Ezana— strong ruler of Aksum from A.D. 325 to 360 • He conquers part of Arabian peninsula, now Yemen • In 350 conquers Kushites and burns Meroëto the ground

5. Aksum Becomes Christian • Young King Ezana educated by Christian man from Syria • As ruler, Ezana declares Christianity as kingdom’s official religion • Aksum, now part of Ethiopia, still home to more than 22 millions Christians Aksumite Architecture Made structures out of stone (not mud baked into bricks) Kings built tall stone pillars (stelae) - some as tall as 60 feet Language and Agriculture Written language; Mint own coins; Terrace farming- cut steps into steep mountain sides, help soil retain water and prevented its being washed downhill in heavy rain; Dams and tanks to hold water; Ditches to channel it to fields

6. King Ezana’a Last Stele dedicated to the Christian God

7. Stela 1, the 'Grand Stela,‘-the largest and most ornate stele made

8. An International Culture Develops Aksum Culture • Blended cultural traditions of Arab peoples and Kushites • Aduliscosmopolitan: Egyptian, Arabian, Greek, Roman, Persian, Indian and even Byzantium • Numerous languages but Greek wasinternational language • The Spread of Christianity • • Believe in one god, Mahrem, and that king descended • from him • Are animists—worship spirits of nature and honored dead • ancestors • • Exposed to Christianity by traders

9. The Fall of Aksum Islam • Aksum kingdom lasts 800 years; witnesses rise of Islam religion • Followers of prophet Muhammad conquer all ofArabia by 632 Islamic Invaders • Between A.D. 632 and 710, Islamic invaders leave Aksum alone (earlier had protected Muhammad’s family and followers • In A.D. 710, they attack port city of Adulis, causing Aksum’s decline As Islam spreads, Aksum becomes isolated from other Christian settlements • To escape the wave of Islam, Aksum rulers move capital to northern Ethiopia • Isolation, soil erosion, deforestation cause loss of remaining power

11. Bantu-Speaking Peoples The Bantu speaking people made one of the greatest migrations in history. -migrated either south or southeast Bantu means “the people”