Axum vs Sasanian Persia: The Red Sea War That Ended an Empire

By the early 7th century, the Kingdom of Axum had dominated the Red Sea for nearly a millennium. But a new power was rising: Sasanian Persia. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the forgotten conflict that brought Axum to its knees. We trace the Persian invasion of Yemen in 570 CE, the battle for the port of Adulis, and the diplomatic chess match between Axum's King Armah and the Sasanian Shah Khusrow II. Along the way, we meet the enigmatic figure of Sayf ibn Dhu Yazan, who may have betrayed Axum to the Persians. Using the Life of Abreha and the Dar'a Inscription, we piece together how Axum lost control of the Red Sea trade routes—and with them, its economic lifeblood. The episode also touches on the plague, the rise of Islam, and the long shadow that Axum's collapse cast over the Horn of Africa. No grand battles here, just a slow strangulation that ended one of antiquity's great civilizations. #Axum #SasanianPersia #RedSea #Adulis #Yemen #Armah #KhusrowII #SayfIbnDhuYazan #Abreha #Dar'aInscription #History #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #AncientWarfare #Plague #RiseOfIslam #HornOfAfrica #TradeRoutes Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo