Axum's City of Adulis: Gateway to the Roman World

In this episode of The Kingdom of Axum: Rome's Forgotten African Rival, Lucas and Luna explore the ancient port city of Adulis, the bustling maritime gateway that connected the Aksumite Empire to the Roman world, India, and beyond. They discuss Adulis's strategic location on the Red Sea, its role in the trade of ivory, frankincense, and spices, and the multicultural society that flourished there. The conversation covers the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, a first-century Greek text that describes Adulis in vivid detail, and the Monumentum Adulitanum, a throne inscription recounting King Ptolemy III's campaigns. Lucas explains how Adulis functioned as a hub for Roman merchants and Aksumite traders, the city's decline after the rise of Islam, and its rediscovery by European explorers in the 19th century. They also touch on the Archaeological excavations at Adulis, which have uncovered Roman glassware, Indian pottery, and early Christian churches, revealing the city's cosmopolitan past. This episode offers a fresh perspective on Axum's international connections and the African city that was a true crossroads of the ancient world. #Adulis #Aksum #RedSea #PeriplusOfTheErythraeanSea #MonumentumAdulitanum #IvoryTrade #Frankincense #RomanTrade #IndianOcean #AncientPorts #CosmasIndicopleustes #Archaeology #Eritrea #AxumiteEmpire #SpiceRoute #AncientHistory #FexingoHistory #EastAfrica #KingdomOfAxum #AksumiteEmpire Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo