10.3 The Kingdoms of Aksum and Himyar

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Discuss how Aksum and Himyar participated in cultural and economic exchange with other societies
• Explain how issues of religion influenced Aksumite and Himyarite culture
• Describe the religious changes that occurred around the Afro-Eurasian world during Late Antiquity

Beyond the borders of the Byzantine and Sasanian Empires, several smaller states flourished. They established cultural contacts with the large empires, but they were also able to participate in long-distance trade with Asia. Two kingdoms, Aksum in northeastern Africa and Himyar in southern Arabia, had distinct religious identities that informed their governments and cultures. During much of Late Antiquity, faith played a crucial role in shaping people’s identities, and the religions of these two kingdoms—Christianity in Aksum and Judaism in Himyar—were no exception.