Home Region: East Africa (Africa)

Axum I

149 BCE 349 CE

D G SC WF R

EQ 2020 et_aksum_emp_1 / EtAksm1

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

[continuity; Pre-Aksumite Period] [continuity] Update here

Succeeding Entity: Add one more here.

270 CE 340 CE Himyar I (ye_himyar_1) [continuity]

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General Description

An empire with Aksum as its capital dominated the northern highlands of Ethiopia from the first to the seventh century CE. ". ^[1] This empire was characterised by a combination of indigenous Ethiopian and South Arabian culture. ." ^[2] Between about 150 and 270 CE, Aksum extended its control to South Arabia, including the Yemen Coastal Plain or Plateau, the northwestern region of modern Yemen that lies between the Red Sea and the Yemeni Mountains.
Without Arabian and Nubian territories, the population of the Aksumite empire has been estimated as "at the outside half a million". ^[3] As for Aksum itself, during the first four centuries CE its core area covered between 80 and 100 hectares; ^[4] assuming 50-200 people per hectare, this would mean a population of between 4,500 and 200,000, at least in the core area. The empire was governed by a single ruler (negus) and his retinue; according to some sources, the administrative system was relatively poorly developed. ^[5] Provinces were ruled indirectly through regional rulers ^[6] who sent tribute. ^[7]

[1]: (Hatke 2013) George Hatke. 2013. Aksum and Nubia: Warfare, Commerce, and Political Fictions in Ancient Northeast Africa (Institute for the Study of the Ancient World). New York University Press.

[2]: (Ricard 2004, 16) Alain Ricard. The Languages & Literatures of Africa: The Sands of Babel. James Currey Publishers. Oxford.

[3]: (Munro-Hay 1991, 166) Stuart C Munro-Hay. 1991. Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity. Edinburgh University Press.

[4]: (Curtis 2017, 106) Matthew C Curtis. Aksum, town and monuments. Siegbert Uhlig. David L Appleyard. Steven Kaplan. Alessandro Bausi. Wolfgang Hahn. eds. 2017. Ethiopia: History, Culture and Challenges. Michigan State University Press. East Lansing.

[5]: (Kobishanov 1981, 385) Y M. Kobishanov. Aksum: political system, economics and culture, first to fourth century. Muḥammad Jamal al-Din Mokhtar. ed. 1981. UNESCO General History of Africa. Volume II. Heinemann. UNESCO. California.

[6]: (Kobishanov 1981, 384) Y M. Kobishanov. Aksum: political system, economics and culture, first to fourth century. Muḥammad Jamal al-Din Mokhtar. ed. 1981. UNESCO General History of Africa. Volume II. Heinemann. UNESCO. California.

[7]: (Falola 2002, 58) Toyin Falola. 2002. Key Events in African History: A Reference Guide. Greenwood Publishing Group. Westport.

General Variables

Identity and Location

2 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

5 Alternative Name

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

3 Suprapolity Relations

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

2 Polity Succession

3 Degree of Centralization

Language

Religion

1 Religious Tradition

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

4 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

2 Professional Military Officer

1 Occupational Complexity

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Food Storage Site

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

2 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Fortified Camp

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

Projectiles

Handheld weapons

Animals used in warfare

Armor

Naval technology

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases Coding in Progress.

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events

3 Instability Event

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1) was in:
(150 CE 269 CE)	Yemeni Coastal Plain

Home NGA: Yemeni Coastal Plain

General Variables

Identity and Location Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	37 P	149 BCE 349 CE
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Utm Zone	38 P	149 BCE 349 CE
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Original Name	Proto-Aksumite Period	149 BCE 349 CE
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Capital	Aksum	149 BCE 349 CE
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Alternative Name	Proto-Aksumite period	149 BCE 349 CE
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Alternative Name	The First Ethiopian Empire	149 BCE 349 CE
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Alternative Name	Aksumites	149 BCE 349 CE
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Alternative Name	Habashat	149 BCE 349 CE
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Alternative Name	Ethiopia	149 BCE 349 CE
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Temporal Bounds Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	250 CE
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Duration	[149 BCE ➜ 349 CE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Suprapolity Relations	ye_himyar_1 vassalage to et_aksum_emp_1	298 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	none	149 BCE 349 CE
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Suprapolity Relations	alliance with [---]	149 BCE 349 CE
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Succeeding Entity	EtAksm2	149 BCE 349 CE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	149 BCE 349 CE
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Succeeding Entity 270 CE 340 CE	Himyar I (ye_himyar_1) [continuity]
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Preceding Entity	continuity; Pre-Aksumite Period [continuity] Update here
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Degree of Centralization	nominal	149 BCE 349 CE
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Degree of Centralization	loose	149 BCE 349 CE
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Degree of Centralization	confederated state	149 BCE 349 CE
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Language Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Religion Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Religious Tradition	South Arabian Religions	149 BCE 349 CE
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Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	[4,500 to 200,000] people	149 BCE 349 CE
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Polity Territory	[300,000 to 400,000] km²	149 BCE 349 CE
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Polity Population	[500,000 to 600,000] people	149 BCE 349 CE
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Hierarchical Complexity Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	4	149 BCE 349 CE
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Religious Level	[2 to 3]	149 BCE 349 CE
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Military Level	5	149 BCE 349 CE
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Administrative Level	[4 to 5]	149 BCE 349 CE
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Professions Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 1 BCE
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Professional Soldier	Unknown Suspected	1 CE 199 CE
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Professional Soldier	Present Inferred	200 CE 319 CE
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Professional Soldier	Present	320 CE 349 CE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 320 CE
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Professional Military Officer	Present Inferred	320 CE 349 CE
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Occupational Complexity	Uncoded Undecided	149 BCE 349 CE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Law Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Judge	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Formal Legal Code	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Court	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Irrigation System	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Food Storage Site	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Transport Infrastructure Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Port	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Canal	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Special-purpose Sites Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Information / Writing System Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Script	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Sacred Text	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Religious Literature	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Practical Literature	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Philosophy	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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History	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Fiction	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Calendar	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Information / Money Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Precious Metal	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Paper Currency	Absent	149 BCE 349 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Absent	149 BCE 249 CE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	250 CE 349 CE
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Foreign Coin	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Article	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Information / Postal System Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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General Postal Service	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Courier	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Information / Measurement System Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moat	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Fortified Camp	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Earth Rampart	Absent	149 BCE 349 CE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Complex Fortification	Unknown Suspected	149 BCE 349 CE
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Military use of Metals Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Iron	Present	149 BCE 349 CE
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Projectiles Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Handheld weapons Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Animals used in warfare Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Armor Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Naval technology Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Absent Inferred	149 BCE 349 CE
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Human Sacrifice Axum I (et_aksum_emp_1)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More