Lifestyle of Axumites
Located on the northern region of modern-day Ethiopia, Axum borders the Red Sea. Most of the kingdom was made up of hot, desert plains, although some highlands enjoyed relatively agreeable climates. The first Axumite cities developed in the Northern part of these Ethiopian highlands.
Axum was the centre of important trade routes with the Roman Empire, South Arabia, Nubia, Somalia, and India. These connections kept Axum’s economy booming and their culture rich. New ideas were also constantly being exchanged, which eventually led to the conversion to Christianity.
Being a central port for trade, Axum saw numerous types of goods being imported and exported. Main imports include iron, precious metals, aromatic substances, glass, fabrics, sugar cane, vegetable oil, and spices. Exports keeping the port wealthy and booming were luxury goods such as ivory, gold, rhinoceros horn, slaves, and live animals.
Wealth was so great in the trade center that Axum even developed its own system of coins. They show signs of influence by Roman coins, and bear inscriptions in Greek, as well as the crescent and disk of Sabeansaxum. Minting its own money, including fine coins of gold, allowed Axum to climb higher up the chain of popular and affluent trading ports.
Greek influence was not only seen on money, but in the Axumite system of writing. Greek numerals and alphabet style with bars above and below letters were directly adopted into Ge’ez, and continued to this day.
Axum was a visually beautiful city, with large stone buildings and towers, called stelae, which reached 33 meters at their highest. Their purpose is a mystery, although some historians put them as being used to mark the tombs of rulers. Stelae are thought to date from about 300 AD.
Daily life was also fun for children. A game called “The Cat and the Rat” was played, a simple game for young Axumites to play as they grew older in the wealthy city.
*Featured above is a photo of two Axumite coins.
Axum was the centre of important trade routes with the Roman Empire, South Arabia, Nubia, Somalia, and India. These connections kept Axum’s economy booming and their culture rich. New ideas were also constantly being exchanged, which eventually led to the conversion to Christianity.
Being a central port for trade, Axum saw numerous types of goods being imported and exported. Main imports include iron, precious metals, aromatic substances, glass, fabrics, sugar cane, vegetable oil, and spices. Exports keeping the port wealthy and booming were luxury goods such as ivory, gold, rhinoceros horn, slaves, and live animals.
Wealth was so great in the trade center that Axum even developed its own system of coins. They show signs of influence by Roman coins, and bear inscriptions in Greek, as well as the crescent and disk of Sabeansaxum. Minting its own money, including fine coins of gold, allowed Axum to climb higher up the chain of popular and affluent trading ports.
Greek influence was not only seen on money, but in the Axumite system of writing. Greek numerals and alphabet style with bars above and below letters were directly adopted into Ge’ez, and continued to this day.
Axum was a visually beautiful city, with large stone buildings and towers, called stelae, which reached 33 meters at their highest. Their purpose is a mystery, although some historians put them as being used to mark the tombs of rulers. Stelae are thought to date from about 300 AD.
Daily life was also fun for children. A game called “The Cat and the Rat” was played, a simple game for young Axumites to play as they grew older in the wealthy city.
*Featured above is a photo of two Axumite coins.