Cooperative behavior in pre-state societies: an agent based approach to the Axum civilization

Research challenges the traditional view that Aksum's early social structure was highly centralized, suggesting instead that cooperative behavior could emerge without coercive authority. Using agent-based modeling inspired by Aksumite data, the study demonstrates that while short-term cooperation is possible in pre-state societies, long-term stability likely requires centralized leadership. This finding sheds light on the evolutionary pathways to state formation and complex social organization, aligning with Charles Stanish's model of cooperative dynamics in early polities.

Vasellini, R., Ferrandino, G., Sernicola, L., Vilone, D., & Mocenni, C. (2025). Cooperative behavior in pre-state societies: an agent based approach to the Axum civilization. Frontiers in Complex Systems, 3. https://doi.org/10.3389/fcpxs.2025.1590952