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67-530: The Monumentum Adulitanum , so named by Leo Allatius , was an ancient inscription written in Greek , depicting the military campaigns of an anonymous king. The original text was inscribed on a throne in Adulis . Although the inscription has never been discovered by archaeologists, it is known about through the copying of the inscription by Cosmas Indicopleustes , a 6th-century Greek traveler-monk. The text narrates

134-604: A 1947 United Nations agreement that the obelisk would be shipped back, Italy balked, resulting in a long-standing diplomatic dispute with the Ethiopian government, which views the obelisk as a symbol of national identity. During the Ethiopian Civil War , on 30 March 1989, Axum was bombed from the air by the Ethiopian Air Force and three people were killed. In April 2005, Italy finally returned

201-478: A catalogue of Italian musical dramas produced up to that year, is indispensable for the early history of opera . A new edition, carried down to 1755 , appeared at Venice in that year. His works are listed by Johann Albert Fabricius , in Bibliotheca Graeca (xi. 437), where they are divided into four classes: His manuscripts (about 150 volumes) and his voluminous scholarly correspondence are held in

268-635: A large reservoir, now known as May Sum, below the hill called May Qoho, may trace back to Aksumite times, indicating the city's reliable water supply. Aksum likely had a prosperous agricultural vicinity, evident from wheat depicted on Aksumite coins, abundant livestock, local forests supplying firewood for centuries, and various industries such as metalworking, glassware, and pottery. The Aksumites' achievements in architecture and stone-working, along with evidence of ivory and leather-working, are found in Aksumite tombs. Cosmas Indicopleustes , who visited Aksum in

335-645: A learned plea for the commonalities between the two churches. Allatius was a natural apologist for the Eastern communions in Eastern Europe , convinced as he was in himself that in the acts of union neither reasons of faith nor of doctrine were fundamental to the succession of the bishops , only a transfer of jurisdictions, and he seems really to have believed that the "Latin faith" and the "Greek faith" were identical and that under "Roman obedience" they could still be Orthodox. So he argued in his contribution to

402-661: A nearby location with geothermal springs. While there are several such springs in central Ethiopia, those closest to Aksum are found in the Afar region . It is possible that the Gabala are to be identified with the Gabala tribe of the upper Awash mentioned in the chronicles of Amda Seyon . The Awash Basin has numerous geothermal springs, so placing Gabala in this area would align with the presence of hot waters. Atalmo and Tangaites are not known from any source apart from Monumentum Adulitanum. The Byzantine ambassador Nonnosus , in his visit to

469-675: A people called "Athagaus" (perhaps from ʿAd Agäw). The inscription also notes that in the unnamed King's expedition to the mountains past the Nile , his men were knee-deep in snow . This has been postulated as the Simien Mountains . The Simiens are remarkable as being one of the few spots in tropical Africa where snow regularly falls. There is a note in Cosmas Indicopleustes work that the Simien Mountains were

536-531: A place of exile for subjects condemned to banishment by the Aksumite king . The other campaigns alluded to are thought to have been largely directed at the lowlands and coastal regions south of Adulis as far as northern Somalia. From ancient times Somalia had been renowned, together with Hadramawt and Dhofar in South Arabia, for its production of frankincense. Lastly, the inscription mentions conquests in

603-676: A throne "here in Sado," presumably a place in Aksum. Libraries in Aksum housed essential Christian documents, and Coptic monks translated many of these books in the 5th and 6th century. The Bible was translated into Ge'ez language, and the sole, complete surviving copy of the Book of Enoch is in the Ge'ez language. Contact with the Byzantine Empire ceased after its eastern provinces were seized by

670-894: Is a town in the Tigray Region of Ethiopia with a population of 66,900 residents (as of 2015). It is the site of the historic capital of the Aksumite Empire . Axum is located in the Central Zone of the Tigray Region, near the base of the Adwa mountains. It has an elevation of 2,131 metres (6,991 feet) and is surrounded by La'ilay Maychew , a separately administered woreda of the Tigray region . In 1980, UNESCO added Axum's archaeological sites to its list of World Heritage Sites due to their historic value. Prior to

737-499: Is characterized by massive dressed granite blocks, smaller uncut stones for walling, mud mortar to fix them, bricks for vaulting and arches, and an external wooden framework resembling "monkey-heads" or square corner extrusions. The walls tend to incline inwards as they ascend, often featuring several recessed bays for added strength. A comparable architectural style is evident in substantial "palace" structures not only in Aksum but also in other cities like Adulis and Matara. The presence of

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804-497: Is conceivable that the ecological damage extended to the surrounding area of Aksum due to increasing demands for foodstuffs and firewood. The region around the town might have eventually become incapable of sustaining the population of a major political center. By the end of the 9th century, Aksum was largely abandoned and lay in ruins. The city rose to prominence again after the rise of the Solomonic Dynasty , and became

871-415: Is documented, evolving over time to encompass some of the world's largest monuments. Initially, the granite stelae in the primary cemetery, housing the Aksumite royal tombs, and in other cemeteries around the town were plain and rough. Subsequently, they became plain but carefully dressed in granite, eventually carved to emulate multi-storey towers in a distinctive architectural style. The Aksumite architecture

938-511: Is located just 5.5 km (3.4 miles) to the east of the city. Aksum University was established in May 2006 on a greenfield site, 4 km (2.5 mi) from Axum's central area. The inauguration ceremony was held on 16 February 2007 and the current area of the campus is 107 ha (260 acres), with ample room for expansion. The establishment of a university in Axum is expected to contribute much to

1005-589: Is the rock art called the Lioness of Gobedra . Local legend claims the Queen of Sheba lived in the town. The Köppen-Geiger climate classification system classifies its climate as subtropical highland (Cwb). According to the Central Statistical Agency of Ethiopia (CSA), as of 1 July 2012 the town of Axum's estimated population was 56,576. The census indicated that 30,293 of

1072-470: Is the 24 m (79 ft) King Ezana's Stele . Three more stelae measure 18.2 m (60 ft) high, 15.8 m (52 ft) high, 15.3 m (50 ft) high. The stelae are believed to mark graves and would have had cast metal discs affixed to their sides, which are also carved with architectural designs. The Gudit Stelae to the west of town, unlike the northern area, are interspersed with mostly 4th century tombs . The other major features of

1139-511: The Abyssinian–Adal war of the 1500s. It was again rebuilt by Emperor Gelawdewos (completed by his brother and successor Emperor Minas ) and Emperor Fasilides replaced that structure with the present one. Only men are permitted entry into the Old St. Mary's Cathedral (some say as a result of the destruction of the original church by Gudit). The New Cathedral of St. Mary of Zion stands next to

1206-744: The Biblioteca Vallicelliana (referred to by some sources as the "Library of the Oratorians ") in Rome. The number of his unpublished writings is very large; the majority of them are included in the manuscripts of the Vallicellian Library. Allatius died in Rome on 18 (or 19) January 1669. Outside scholarly circles Allatius is perhaps best known today for his De Praeputio Domini Nostri Jesu Christi Diatriba ( Discourse on

1273-580: The Ezana Stone written in Sabaean , Geʽez and Ancient Greek in a similar manner to the Rosetta Stone , King Bazen's Tomb (a megalith considered to be one of the earliest structures), the so-called Queen of Sheba's Bath (actually a reservoir ), the 4th-century Ta'akha Maryam and 6th-century Dungur palaces, Pentalewon Monastery and Abba Liqanos and about 2 km (1.2 mi) west

1340-595: The Peace of Paris in 1815 , and a gift from Pope Pius VII of 852 others in 1816, remain in the Vatican Library to this day. Allatius was "passed over" for the position of Vatican librarian and instead became librarian to Cardinal Lelio Biscia who had an extensive private library. On the Cardinal's death, Allatius became librarian to Cardinal Francesco Barberini . Pope Alexander VII appointed him custodian of

1407-782: The Protestant Elector of Bavaria Frederick V was supplanted by a Catholic one, the victorious elector Maximilian of Bavaria presented the Palatinate library composed of 196 cases containing about 3500 manuscripts to Pope Gregory. Allatius supervised its transport by a caravan of 200 mules across the Alps to Rome, where it was incorporated in the Vatican library. All but 39 of the Heidelberg manuscripts, which had been sent to Paris in 1797 and were returned to Heidelberg at

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1474-589: The Tablets of Stone upon which the Ten Commandments are inscribed. Zara Yaqob underwent his coronation there in 1436 and continued to reside in Aksum for three years. Subsequently, a few other monarchs also chose Aksum as the site for their coronation ceremonies. This unique ritual involved cutting a cord held by the "daughters of Aksum," symbolizing the king's ascent to "king of Zion." The ancient Aksumite stone thrones served as coronation chairs, although

1541-732: The Vatican Library in 1661, a post he held until his death. His cultural background, embracing the Greek and Roman worlds, afforded him a unique view of the age-old question of union to heal the Great Schism . Better than any western scholar of his day he knew the religious, historical and artistic traditions of the Orthodox world, struggling under Ottoman domination . More passionately than any other 17th century theologian, he believed that familiarity with these traditions would enable

1608-499: The "coronation" itself comprised an anointing and tonsuring ritual, followed by a mass in the church. Francisco Alvares , a Portuguese missionary and explorer who spent eight months in Aksum in the 1520s described it as "a large town with very good houses and very good wells of water of very beautiful worked masonry, and also in most of the houses ancient figures of lions and dogs and birds, all well made in very hard, fine stone" He also described Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion ,

1675-802: The Arabian Peninsula against the Kinaidokolpites and Arabites. The "Arabites" can safely be equated with the coastal bedouins, while the Kinaidokolpitai were a tribe whose name already appears in Ptolemy's Geography in the 2nd century, and are believed to be the Kinana . The inscription concludes with the King's affirmation that he is the first to have subjugated all of the aforementioned peoples and dedicates his throne to Zeus (or

1742-558: The Arabs and as a consequence, Aksum grew poorer and more isolated. It ceased to be the political capital of the Kingdom of Aksum sometime after the 8th century, which was relocated to the south. An inscription, crafted by a certain Hasani 'Dano'el, mentions his success in subjugating the king of Aksum and reducing the city to the status of a tributary to his own kingdom in the 9th century. It

1809-521: The Foreskin of Our Lord Jesus Christ ), a minor essay mentioned in Fabricius 's Bibliotheca Graeca (xiv. 17) as an unpublished work. According to an unconfirmed nineteenth-century source, its thesis is that the rings of Saturn (then-recently observed by telescope) are the prepuce of Jesus . Axum Axum , also spelled Aksum (pronounced: / ˈ ɑː k ˈ s uː m / ),

1876-565: The Rauso who live in the midst of vast, waterless plains in the heart of a barbarous country, rich in incense; and the Solate whom I ordered to watch over the coasts of the sea. All these peoples, defended by mighty mountains, I conquered them and compelled them to submit, taking part myself in the campaign, and I allowed them to keep their land in return for tribute. Most of the others, meanwhile, surrendered and pay tribute of their own free will. In

1943-601: The age of nine, first in Calabria and then in Rome where he was admitted into the Greek college. A graduate of the Pontifical Greek College of Saint Athanasius in Rome , he spent his career in Rome as teacher of Greek at the Greek college, devoting himself to the study of classics and theology. He found a patron in Pope Gregory XV . In 1622, after the capture of Heidelberg by Tilly , when

2010-564: The beginning of the Tigray War in 2020, Axum was a leading tourist destination for foreign visitors. Little information is available regarding the early centuries of Aksum's presumed evolution from a humble regional hub to a dominant power. Archeological findings at Gobadra (Gobo Dara) and the Anqar Baahti rock-shelters suggest Stone Age remnants in close proximity. R. Fattovich's excavations at amba 'Beta Giyorgis above Aksum validate

2077-700: The chapel is closed to all but the guardian monk who resides there. Entrance is even forbidden to the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church, and to the Emperor of Ethiopia during the monarchy. The two cathedrals and the chapel of the Ark are the focus of pilgrimage and considered the holiest sites in Ethiopia to members of its Orthodox Church. Other attractions in Axum include archaeological and ethnographic museums,

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2144-511: The church had a nave, two aisles, and a thatched roof. It is possible that some elements of the internal architecture from the former church endured, including the outer walls, within which the smaller new church was situated. In 1608, during the coronation of Susenyos I in Aksum, Mass was conducted at this location. However in 1611, Aksum was sacked by Oromo, who set fire to the church. Pedro Páez who visited Aksum in around 1620 saw only about 150-200 mud houses, and Manoel Barradas wrote that Aksum

2211-518: The church of St. Mary a land grant in 1794. According to the missionary Samuel Gobat , in the early 19th century Aksum was economically well off, as it was situated in a "vast fertile plain" which was "richly cultivated". Apart from the ruins, the settlement was made up almost entirely of round huts with thatched roofs. The warlord Wube Haile Maryam , gave a land grant to the Church of St. Mary in an undated charter. On 12 January 1872, Yohannes IV

2278-454: The church that Alvares had described. Before the city was sacked, a document in the Book of Aksum lists 1,705 golden objects as well as many other items from Aksum that Lebna Dengel distributed to various governors to save them from destruction, and it is recorded by Ahmad's chronicler that a large stone object was removed at this time for safety to "Tabr". Manuel de Almeida who visited after

2345-399: The city as 27,148, of whom 12,536 were men and 14,612 were women. The largest ethnic group reported was Tigrayans with 98.54% and Tigrinya was spoken as a first language by 98.68%. The majority of the population practised Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity with 85.08% reported as embracing that religion, while 14.81% were Muslim. Axum Airport , also known as Emperor Yohannes IV Airport ,

2412-491: The convulsions of Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi confirmed the extent of the ruin that befell Aksum in the 16th century commenting that it then had only about 100 inhabitants where everywhere there are ruins to be seen. The city was rebuilt in 1580 by Emperor Sarsa Dengel who restored the church and held his coronation there. In 1604/05 the city was visited by the Jesuit Fernao Guerreiro, he reported that

2479-407: The east, and their altars well ornamented. It has a choir after our fashion, except that it is low, and they reach the vaulted roof with their heads; and the choir is also over the vault, and they do not use it." Adal leader Ahmed ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi led the conquest of Axum in the sixteenth century. Aksum was sacked and burned in 1535 by the troops of Ahmad ibn Ibrahim al-Ghazi who destroyed

2546-580: The frontiers of Egypt , I had a road constructed going from the lands of my empire to Egypt. Then I overcame the Annine and the Metine who live among precipitous mountains. I fought against the Sesea who entrenched themselves on a very high and very inaccessible mountain; I surrounded them and forced them to come down and I seized for myself their young, women, children, virgins, and all their belongings. I subdued

2613-507: The god Astar , cognate to the Semitic goddess Astarte ), as well as to the god Poseidon , associated with Beher , and finally to Ares , equated to Mahrem . Seeing that the text was in Greek and followed an inscription about King Ptolemy III Euergetes 's conquests in Asia, Cosmas Indicopleustes mistook the Aksumite inscription for the continuation of Ptolemy's. The Ptolemaic portion of

2680-505: The greatest of my gods, to Ares who begat me and who has enabled me to extend my sway over all those neighboring my country, to the east as far as the Land of Incense, to the west as far as the regions of Ethiopia and Sasu, conquering some myself in person, sending my armies against others. And having brought peace to the whole world under my dominion, I have returned to Adulis to offer sacrifices to Zeus and Ares , and also to Poseidon for

2747-645: The importance of this church in the Ethiopian Empire. Queen Elizabeth visited the Cathedral a few days later. Between the two cathedrals is a small chapel known as The Chapel of the Tablet built at the same time as the new cathedral, and which is believed to house the Ark of the Covenant. Emperor Haile Selassie's consort, Empress Menen Asfaw , paid for its construction from her private funds. Admittance to

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2814-654: The king's military campaigns in the African continent and in the Arabian peninsula . It is thought to be between 200 and 270 AD. The following translation is by Laurence P. Kirwan : and after this, having become strong and having commanded those nearest the kingdom to keep the peace, I waged war on the following peoples: I made war on the Gaze, then, having conquered Agame and Sigyene, I seized half their property and peoples. Aua, Zingabene, Aggabe, Tiamaa, Athagous , Kalaa and

2881-527: The kingdom, mentions "Aua" as positioned midway between Aksum and Adulis . It can possibly be identified as Adwa . "Ethiopia" refers to Nubia , which the Graeco-Roman world knew as "Ethiopia." The Aksumites appropriated the name "Ethiopians" for themselves during the reign of Ezana of Axum not long after. The 3rd century inscription also contains what may be the first reference to the Agaw , referring to

2948-597: The mid-17th century Uniate pamphlet De Ecclesiae occidentalis atque orientalis perpetua consensione libri tres ("The Western and Eastern Churches in perpetual Agreement, in Three Books") (1648). Such notions led to the final stipulations that the Eastern Churches were not to be merged with the Catholic Church but would retain their own hierarchical independence and traditional rituals. Allatius

3015-475: The obelisk pieces to Axum amidst much official and public rejoicing; Italy also covered the US$ 4 million costs of the transfer. UNESCO assumed responsibility for the re-installation of this stele in Axum, and by the end of July 2008 the obelisk had been reinstalled. It was unveiled on 4 September 2008. During the Tigray War , around 100–800 civilians were massacred by the Eritrean Army between 28 November and 15 December 2020. The major Aksumite monuments in

3082-429: The old one, and was built to fulfil a pledge by Emperor Haile Selassie to Our Lady of Zion for the liberation of Ethiopia from the Fascist occupation . Built in a neo-Byzantine style , work on the new cathedral began in 1955, and allows entry to women. Emperor Haile Selassie interrupted the state visit of Queen Elizabeth II to travel to Axum to attend the dedication of the new cathedral and pay personal homage, showing

3149-422: The people of Samen who live across the Nile in inaccessible and snowbound mountains where storms and icy cold persist and the snowfall is so deep that a man sinks in it up to the knees; I subdued them after crossing the river. Then Lasine, Zaa, and Gabala; they dwell on a mountain where hot springs flow. Having subjected the Atalmo, the Bega , and with them all the Taggaite peoples who occupy territories leading to

3216-414: The population were females and 26,283 were males. The 2007 national census showed that the town population was 44,647, of whom 20,741 were males and 23,906 females). The majority of the inhabitants said they practised Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity , with 88.03% reporting that as their religion, while 10.89% of the population were Ethiopian Muslim . The 1994 national census reported the population for

3283-511: The pre-Aksumite roots of a settlement in Aksum dating back to approximately 7th to 4th centuries B.C. Furthermore, excavations in the Stele Park at the heart of Aksum. substantiate ongoing activity in that area since the beginning of the common era. By the 1st century AD, Aksum was described as a " metropolis " in the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea . Several archaeological expeditions have conducted excavations in various parts of Aksum. The early utilization of stelae, or obelisks as grave markers,

3350-405: The renowned scholar Enno Littmann . Early in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War , Italian troops seized Aksum in October 1936. In 1937, a 24 m (79 ft) tall, 1,700-year-old Obelisk of Axum , was broken into five parts by the Italians and shipped to Rome to be erected. The obelisk is widely regarded as one of the finest examples of engineering from the height of the Axumite empire. Despite

3417-415: The safety of those who sail on the sea. After mustering my armies and uniting them, I have come here and dedicated this throne to Ares in the 27th year of my reign. The inscription mentions many different groups of people and locations. Some can be identified without difficulty like the Beja who are well known to have been in the north of the Ethiopian Highlands. The mention of "streams of hot water" implies

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3484-426: The same way, after I had sent a fleet and an army against the Arabites and the Kinaidokolpites who live across the Red Sea and forced their kings to submit, I commanded them to pay tribute for their land and to keep the peace by land and sea and I waged war from Leuke Come to the land of the Sabaeans. I am the first and the only one of my line to have rendered subject all these peoples and for this I give thanks to

3551-523: The second decade of the 6th century, described the four-towered palace of the king of Ethiopia, adorned with bronze statues of unicorns. Aksum also housed rows of monumental granite thrones, likely bearing metal statues dedicated to pre-Christian deities such as Astar, Baher, Madr, and Mahram. These thrones incorporated large panels with inscriptions, some attributed to Ousanas , Ezana , Kaleb , and his son Wazeba , chronicling their wars and serving as victory monuments. One inscription mentions Ezana setting up

3618-428: The soil, the local boys were delighted to accompany a stranger about the place. They were intelligent, sharp-eyed little urchins who took a great interest in the search for curiosities, though unless someone is there to reward them for finding the old coins they do not trouble to pick them up, as they are of no value to them." Aksumite remains were investigated in 1906 by an important German archaeological mission led by

3685-413: The spiritual capital of the Ethiopian Empire . A collection of Ge'ez documents, encompassing a concise legendary history of Aksum, land charters, and other related material, known as the Book of Axum , is occasionally discovered bound within manuscript books alongside the Kebra Nagast and other works. This compilation provides numerous insights into the church's possessions and the subsequent history of

3752-449: The stelae and the church. James Bruce also left descriptions of the old town, which in his time consisted, he estimated, of about 600 houses. He believed Aksum to have been mainly the work of the Ptolemies, crediting most of the monuments to Ptolemy III Euergetes . After the decline of imperial authority in the period of the Zemene Mesafint , Aksum fell under the control of the rulers of Tigray. One of whom, Wolde Selassie , would grant

3819-459: The stelae, the thrones and other structures. He thought the town had been the former residence of the Queen of Sheba , as well as Kandake and Gudit . Describing the church, he wrote: "This church is very large; it has five aisles of good width and great length, vaulted above, and all the vaults closed, the ceiling and sides all painted. Below, the body of the church is well worked with handsome cut stone; it has seven chapels, all with their backs to

3886-448: The text is referred to as Monumentum Adulitanum II . The identity of this king has been a point of contention for many years, with some suggesting that he was not an Aksumite king but rather a Himyarite king, although this assertion has never been successful. The beginning of the inscription was damaged before being recorded by Cosmas. Glen Bowersock proposes that it might have been Gadarat or Sembrouthes . Yuzo Shitomi suggests it

3953-444: The town are steles . These obelisks are around 1,700 years old and have become a symbol of the Ethiopian people's identity. The largest number are in the Northern Stelae Park , ranging up to the 33-metre-long (108 ft) Great Stele , believed to have fallen and broken during construction. The Obelisk of Axum was removed by the Italian army in 1937, and returned to Ethiopia in 2005 and reinstalled 31 July 2008. The next tallest

4020-447: The town are the old and new churches of Our Lady Mary of Zion . The Church of Our Lady Mary of Zion was built in 1665 by Emperor Fasilides and said to have previously housed the Ark of the Covenant. The original cathedral, said to have been built by Ezana and augmented several times afterwards, was believed to have been massive with an estimated 12 naves. It was burned to the ground by Gudit , rebuilt, and then destroyed again during

4087-423: The town. The city also had its own governor known as the Nebure Id , who was also a high dignitary of the church. The Kebra Nagast was written by Nebure Id Yishaq of Aksum, but Aksum is never mentioned by name in the book. Instead, the "city of the kingdom" is called Dabra Makadda. The Aksum Seyon was restored by Dawit I in 1406. It has been rumored to house the Biblical Ark of the Covenant , in which lie

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4154-455: The two churches to bridge their theological and ecclesiastical divide. Thus in 1651, when he published the first printed edition of the works of George Acropolites , the 13th century emissary of the Byzantine Emperor who acknowledged the supremacy of the Roman pontiff and thus had become something of a celebrity, at least in the West, the Latin essay that formed the preface to this volume, De Georgiis eorumque Scriptis , gained fame itself as

4221-471: Was ʽDhBH [vocalized ʽAḏbeha or ʽAṣbeḥā]. Leo Allatius Leo Allatius was a Greek , born on the island of Chios (then part of the Ottoman Empire and known as Sakız ) in 1586. His father was Niccolas Allatzes (from Orthodox religion) and his mother was Sebaste Neurides, both of Greek extraction (Allatius soon converted himself to Catholicism from Greek Orthodoxy). He was taken by his maternal uncle Michael Nauridis to Italy to be educated at

4288-448: Was crowned Emperor of Ethiopia in the city of Aksum. In February 1893 the British explorers, James Theodore Bent and his wife Mabel Bent , travelled by boat to Massawa on the west coast of the Red Sea. They then made their way overland to excavate at Axum and Yeha , in the hope of researching possible links between early trading networks and cultures on both sides of the Red Sea. They reached Axum by 24 February 1893, but their work

4355-399: Was curtailed by the tensions between the Italian occupiers and local warlords, together with the continuing ramifications of the First Italo-Ethiopian War and they had to make a hasty retreat by the end of March to Zula for passage back to England. The British journalist Augustus B. Wylde wrote after visiting Aksum in 1897: "after every heavy downpour of rain, old coins are washed out of

4422-521: Was no more than a small village. In 1655, Fasilides had the church restored. Its dedication was celebrated by his daughter, Princess Yodit, who gave "an incalculable quantity of money", so that the church became "marvellous and magnificent". In 1678, rebels under Ras 'Faris, governor of Salawa, burned Aksum, but the church survived to serve at the coronation of Iyasu I in 1693. The French traveller Charles-Jacques Poncet  [ fr ] visited Aksum (which he called "Heleni") in 1700, describing

4489-457: Was trained as a physician . In 1645 he included the first methodical discussion of vampires , in De Graecorum hodie quorundam opinationibus ("On certain modern opinions among the Greeks"). In his later years he collected Greek and Syrian manuscripts to add to the late Pope Gregory XV 's Eastern Library at the Vatican. A member of the Accademia degli Incogniti , he knew many of the figures who wrote Venetian operas. His Drammaturgia ( 1666 ),

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