| State or Dynasty | Period or Zenith | Center or Capital | Key Historical Feature |
|---|---|---|---|
| Punt | 3rd millennium BC | Red Sea and Indian Ocean coasts | Exported gold, ivory, and myrrh to ancient Egypt |
| Yeha | c. 1000 BC (zenith 750 to 500 BC) | Northeast of Aksum | Oldest pre-Aksumite center, built stone temple with inscriptions |
| Damat | c. 5th century BC | South of Aksum | Rulers used the South Arabian title Mukarib, used port of Adulis |
| Aksumite Kingdom | c. 1st century AD to 10th century AD | Aksum | Minted coins, Ge'ez script, monumental stelae, adopted Christianity c. 330 AD |
| Sultanate of Shewa | 896 AD to 1285 AD | Lowland east of Awash River | Earliest Muslim sultanate, founded by Makhzumite dynasty |
| Zagwe Dynasty | c. 1150 AD to 1270 AD | Adefa (Roha / Lalibela) | Agaw ruling house, constructed eleven monolithic rock-hewn churches |
| Restored Solomonic Dynasty | 1270 AD onwards | Amhara / Shewa highlands | Yekuno Amlak defeated Yetbarek, claimed descent from Dil Naod |
| Sultanate of Ifat | 1285 AD onwards | South of Shewa | Founded by Umar Walasma, annexed Shewa and controlled the Zeila trade route |
When you use it
Use when tracing the chronological order, capitals, and major achievements of pre-Aksumite, Aksumite, Zagwe, and Islamic states.
Watch out
The rise of the Zagwe dynasty was a political power shift from Semitic-speaking Aksumite rulers to Cushitic Agaw rulers, not the founding of an entirely new kingdom.
Drafted from Grade 9 History, pages 41-65, then checked twice before it went up
