Frumentius and King Ezana: Aksum becomes Christian
c. c. 330 – c. 360
Place: aksum
14.121, 38.728 · On the map
Supported by Rufinus and Socrates (HE 1.19), by Ezana's own inscriptions and by the change in his coins. Full place record: batch 1 'aksum'.
A Syrian captive, Frumentius, rose at the Aksumite court, was made bishop by Athanasius of Alexandria, and helped bring King Ezana to the Christian faith. Ezana's coins switch from the crescent-and-disc to the cross. This Christian kingdom across the Red Sea is the one that later hosts Muhammad's followers.
People named here
- Frumentius
- Ezana
- Athanasius
Links
Sequence
Out
Kaleb (Ella Asbeha) of Aksum invades Himyar
Aksum's Christian kingship (from Ezana) is the basis for Kaleb's 'crusade'.
precedes
attested
Context
Out
First hijra: Muslim refugees at the court of the Negus
Three centuries of Aksumite Christianity made Ethiopia a Christian refuge.
context
attested
Sources
- Socrates Scholasticus, Church History Book 1 (NPNF trans., PD)
New Advent. Accessed 2026-11-11.
- Wikipedia: Ezana of Axum
Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-11-11.
- Wikipedia: Frumentius
Wikipedia contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-11-11.