UNESCO Ancient Civilizations of Africa (Editor G. Mokhtar)

Aksum: political system, economics and culture, first to fourth century
Wars in southern Arabia are also reported in two Greek inscriptions by
Aksumite kings whose names and dates of reign are unknown. The longer
inscription was copied in the middle of the sixth century by Cosmas Indicopleustes.
Its author conquered the coastal parts of Yemen 'till the land of
the Sabaeans' and vast territories in Africa 'from the frontiers of Egypt'
to the land of incense of Somali. 2
By about 270 the fame of the new state had reached Persia. The
'Kephalaia' of the prophet Mani (216-76) calls Aksum one of the four
greatest empires of the world.
What resources and organization did Aksum have to achieve such
successes?
Occupations
For the most part the Aksumites were engaged in agriculture and stockbreeding,
practically the same types of occupation as those of the presentday
Tigre peasants. The mountain slopes were terraced and irrigated by the
water of mountain streams channelled into the fields.In the foot-hills
and on the plains, cisterns and dams were constructed as reservoirs for
rainwater and irrigation canals were dug. Inscriptions indicate that wheat 3
and other cereals were sown; viticulture also existed. Ploughs drawn by
oxen were used. Large herds of cattle, sheep and goats were kept; other
domestic animals were asses and mules. Like the Meroites, the Aksumites
had learned to capture and domesticate elephants, but these were reserved
for the use of the royal court. 4 According to inscriptions, the diet consisted
of flat wheaten cakes, ale, wine, hydromel, honey, meat, butter and
vegetable-oil. 5
The crafts and trades of blacksmiths and other metal-workers, potters,
builders, stone-masons and carvers, among others, attained a very high
level of skill and artistry. The most important technical innovation was
the use of iron tools, which became far more widespread than in the first
millennium before our era and inevitably influenced the further development
of agriculture, trades and military science. Another innovation was the
introduction of a cohesive cementing solution in building, which led to the
development of a form of stone and timber construction.
Political structure
Aksum may have been initially a principality which in the course of time
became the capital province of a feudal kingdom. History confronted its
2. E. O. Winstedt, pp. 74-7.
3. Deutsche Aksum Expedition 4: 21; DAE 6: 10; DAE 7: 12; E. Littmann, 1910-15;
A. J. Drewes, 1962, pp. 30ft".
4. L. A. Dindorff, 1831, pp. 457-8; E. O. Winstedt, p. 324.
5. DAE 4: 13-21; DAE 6: 7-11; DAE 7: 9-13; A. J. Drewes, 1962, p. 73.
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