History of Ethiopia

The oldest self-governing country in Sub Saharan Africa is Ethiopia. Proof of existence of Ethiopian history dated way back in 1000B.C. It was the time when King Solomon was visited by the Queen of Sheba. The first kingdom in Ethiopia that was ever recorded was developed within Axum in the ancient 3rd century B.C. Axum was an end result of the Semitic Sabeam kingdoms of Southern Arabia until it was considered the supreme ivory market in the North East. In the next centuries that followed, Axum increasingly invaded the state of Meroe in Sudan. When Christianity was already the religion of state during the 4th century A.D., the kingdom became under enemy control of Ethiopia. Frumentius, a young Syrian from Axum adopted Christianity in the country and initially converted the King. Later in 330 A.D. Frumentius became the first Bishop.

Some parts of Yemen and Southern Arabia were also dominated by Axum and it continued to be in power pending the passing away of Prophet Mohammed. When the Islamic religion started to spread out, Ethiopia lost its connection with its earlier Mediterranean trading partners and followers. Egyptians were taken over by Muslims in the Red Sea harbors. When Muslim development started in the 12th century, independent trading kingdoms developed along the coast of the Red Sea. After the World War II, Ethiopia continued to be an independent nation.