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The Last Aksumite King: Kaleb's War for Arabia
Description
In this episode, Lucas and Luna travel back to the 6th century to explore the reign of Emperor Kaleb, the last great king of Aksum. When a Jewish king in Yemen began persecuting Christians, Kaleb launched a massive naval invasion across the Red Sea — one of the most ambitious military campaigns of late antiquity. Lucas unpacks the geopolitics of the Arabian Peninsula, the role of the Byzantine Empire, and the mysterious figure of Dhu Nuwas. He also explains how Aksum ruled Yemen for decades, why Kaleb abdicated to become a monk, and how the conflict left a mark on both the Quran and Ethiopian tradition. Along the way, they touch on the fragile evidence for the Ark of the Covenant's possible role in the war and what Kaleb's legacy means for Ethiopian identity today. A story of faith, power, and the limits of empire.