Ethiopia is the African country home to Aksum, the ancient center of the Kingdom of Aksum.
Aksum, also spelled Axum, is in northern Ethiopia’s Tigray region. The Kingdom of Aksum became a major power in the Red Sea world from roughly the first centuries BCE through the early medieval period. It traded with Arabia, the Roman world, and parts of eastern Africa, using its position near important maritime routes.
The city is famous for its tall carved stone stelae, royal tombs, and archaeological remains. The Kingdom of Aksum adopted Christianity in the fourth century under King Ezana, making it one of the earliest states to do so. Aksum is sometimes confused with sites across the modern Eritrean border because the ancient kingdom covered territory on both sides of the Red Sea region. The archaeological city itself is in Ethiopia.