Lalibela: Rock-Hewn Churches of Ethiopia's Golden Age

In the highlands of Ethiopia, King Lalibela carved eleven monolithic churches out of solid volcanic rock in the 12th century. This episode opens with the legend of his divine vision and pulls back to explore the Aksumite Empire that preceded him—a trade superpower that rivaled Rome and Persia, minted its own gold currency, and adopted Christianity in the 4th century. We trace Ethiopia's ancient roots from the kingdom of D'mt to the Queen of Sheba, through the rise of Aksum under King Ezana, and the construction of the stelae at Axum. Lucas and Luna discuss how Ethiopia's isolation preserved its unique Christian traditions, including the Ark of the Covenant legend at the Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion. This episode sets the stage for future explorations of Ethiopia's medieval emperors, its resistance to colonialism, and its legacy as Africa's hidden superpower. #Lalibela #EthiopianHistory #AksumiteEmpire #KingEzana #RockHewnChurches #QueenOfSheba #ArkOfTheCovenant #ChristianityInAfrica #AncientTradeRoutes #AxumStelae #SolomonicDynasty #EthiopianOrthodoxy #MedievalAfrica #EastAfricanHistory #LalibelaChurches #ChurchOfMaryOfZion #History #FexingoHistory #EthiopianOrthodox #ZagweDynasty Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo