Analyze the sub-Saharan African civilizations contemporaneous with Late Antique Rome — the Kingdom of Aksum (c. 100-940 CE) with Ezana's Christianization c. 350 CE, the early Ghana / Wagadou proto-state (c. 300-1240 CE), and the broader Bantu-language-family migrations — per Christopher Ehret, Graham Connah, Stuart Munro-Hay, and Glen Bowersock scholarship
Exercise Difficulty 5 ~12 min hist.g6.s.ex_37

Rubric Response

Prompt

Why is Aksum's Christianization 350 CE world-historically significant for the SIMULTANEITY ARGUMENT? Write 4-6 sentences citing specific evidence from Ezana's Stele AND modern Ethiopian / Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Churches.

How it's presented
mode text
Answer criteria
type rubric scored
rubric
Aksum adopted Christianity ~30 YEARS BEFORE Theodosian Rome 380 CE — making Aksum the 2nd state in world history (after Armenia 301 CE) to adopt Christianity as state religion. Christianity is NOT historically a 'European' religion; it spread from Roman Judea + Egypt to multiple regions including Aksum simultaneously. Modern Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church (~36 million adherents, 2nd-largest Eastern Christian church) and Eritrean Orthodox Tewahedo Church preserve unbroken Christian tradition from Ezana 350 CE to today — ~1,675 years of continuous Christian practice. Ezana's trilingual stele (Geʽez + Sabaean + Greek) documents both the Christianization and the Aksumite conquest of Meroë
Hints
  1. MG-18 Ezana Stele + simultaneity argument.
  2. Aksum's Christianity is unbroken since 350 CE.
Misconceptions to watch
  • Believing Christianity 'came to Africa' from Europe
Used in lessons