The Christian Topography and the Kingdom of Axum

A new analysis of the Greek inscription from Adulis, published in The Christian Topography, reveals that its author was likely a non-Axumite figure—possibly a south-west Arabian king. This conclusion challenges prior assumptions about the inscription's origins and suggests that Arabian conquests in northern Ethiopia may have triggered the rise of an Arabian dynasty, contributing to Axum's resurgence during its fourth-century power peak. The study leverages a recently re-edited Greek text to reassess geographical references linking Axum and adjacent regions, offering fresh insights into the kingdom's political evolution.

Kirwan, L., Hägg, T., Török, L., & Welsby, D. A. (2024). The Christian Topography and the Kingdom of Axum. Studies on the History of Late Antique and Christian Nubia, VIII. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003555735-8