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King Kaleb's Axum: Ethiopia's Red Sea Empire
Season 3
Episode 120
Published 2 days, 18 hours ago
Description
Before Lalibela and the Solomonic restoration, Axum was one of the ancient world's great empires, and its most powerful ruler in the 6th century was King Kaleb. In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore how Kaleb led a naval expedition across the Red Sea to conquer Himyar in Yemen, defending persecuted Christians and controlling trade routes. They discuss Axum's relationship with Constantinople and Persia, the legendary Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion, and the mysterious stele field. They also examine Kaleb's abdication to a monastery, the decline of Axum, and the lasting legacy of this forgotten superpower. This is a story of faith, war, and empire that shaped the Horn of Africa for centuries.