The Tigray province in Ethiopia and modern Eritrea was occupied by the Aksum kingdom in the ancient days. The kingdom was famous when it came to trade from the 1st to the 7th century consecutively. It had positive impacts on surrounding kingdoms like Egypt, Europe, Arabians, and Asia. All of them were visitors along the Red Sea. Egypt was their main trading neighbor within the same land.
During the 4th and 5th centuries, the community extended its hinges to the south of the Roma Empire. They went up to the Arabian desert to the east. They were the first kingdom to write their own manuscript Ge’ez. Aksumites were loved by the neighboring trading communities through their hospitality values.
At the time great Mediterranean empires were prosperous, the Aksum kingdom flourished. They have a history resembling the Romans and Greek people. They were very civilized during their time. Furthermore, they hold a history of linking Asia and Africa. They had their script, yet the Aksumites transformed to accept Christianity. They were very advanced, just like their trading partners, the Europeans.
The head of the kingdom was a King, helped by nobbles. They used to write a lot, but the research conducted by western people has found little about them. Both traders and priests were regarded as important people in the community. The top leader, who was the king, was described as ‘king of kings’, with some junior kings below him. Evidence has proved that there existed 10-12 minor towns within the kingdom. The main role of a person in a family is unknown.
The orthodox tradition of Christianity as their main religion from the 4th century. The bishop, baptized the rue, King Azana who finally declared Christianity as their main religion. In the 6th century, King Kaleb became the firstborn Christian leader in the Aksum Kingdom. He supported Christians who had suffered in South Arabia, hence being praised by emperor Justin 1 of the Byzantium people.
On the way to the 6th century, Judaism transformed some cultures in Aksum. Israel from Beta had their worshiping place and they were nicknamed ‘the black Jews’. The research showed that The black Jews read Ge’ez and not Hebrew scripts. Although they followed the practices and beliefs of the Pentateuch. Some scholars described them as pre-Christian dominions. The black Jews shared some religious practices with the modern Judaism people. It took 6 years to 1991 when Israel, regarded as black Jews, moved to Israel.
In Ethiopian Heritage, King Solomon and Queen of Sheba are some essential names. Son of Queen Sheba, Menelik I formed the Solomonic dynasty in Ethiopia, which is the origin of leaders. The Queen of Aksum also went to Jerusalem. Also, rumors dictates that Aksum was a home where the Ark of the covenant lied. It has a table of laws where God wrote all the ten commandments. Research showed that Menelik took the table of laws at one moment when he visited the nation. It’s currently found in the Church of ST. Mary in a place specifically called Aksum.
It is completely protected and no one is allowed to set eyes on it. In most Ethiopian churches, you will find replicates of arks called tobots. They are only carried on special days by priests.
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