Aksumite rule over northern Somalia?

[Zak12]

What do you all think of the theory of Aksumite rule reaching modern day Somaliland? Some quotes suggest this

“I subjugated the peoples of Rauso who live in the midst of incense-gathering Barbarians between great waterless plains, and I subjugated the people of Solate, whom I ordered to guard the coasts of the sea. All these people, enclosed by mighty mountains”

ToposText

topostext.org

"I have set all this down from a desire to show that he is quite correct in taking the land of Sasu and Barbaria to lie at the extremity of Ethiopia, since he had subjugated all these regions and the tribes by which they were inhabited, most of which we ourselves have seen, while about the rest we obtained accurate information when we were in their neighbourhood."

There are also the Christian burial sites, artifacts and mounds found in northern Somalia to further support it. It sounds interesting, what do you think?

 

[Riftvalley]

Christian burials aren’t a sign of axumite control in and of themselves. We have some Jewish artefacts as well does that mean Sabaen Jews or Ethiopian Jews controlled Somalia?

my thinking is that it arrived with traders and converts (yemen a possibility.

axumite might have fought against people in northern Somalia but there is little evidence they ruled.

Also rule and tributary state by way Of taxation aren’t the same. Solomonic kingdoms were taking tribute from medieval Muslim kingdoms yet they were not under their control.

As for Barbarians-it could have been proto Afar. In any case, it’s all guess work due to the lack of written material and archeological evidence.

 

[Emir of Zayla]

“I subjugated the peoples of Rauso who live in the midst of incense-gathering Barbarians between great waterless plains, and I subjugated the people of Solate, whom I ordered to guard the coasts of the sea. All these people, enclosed by mighty mountains”

The people of Rauso and Solate are on the borders between Eritrea and Djibouti near the Dahlak islands, it’s not Somalia.

There are also the Christian burial sites, artifacts and mounds found in northern Somalia to further support it. It sounds interesting, what do you think?

It’s more than likely that ancient Somalis practiced Christianity due to trade and cultural diffusion with the Roman Empire and the Middle East. This does not support an Axumite conquest however.

 

[BidaarBoy]

Do the Afar/Saho who inhabit that part of the Danakil have any history as incense gatherers/traders?
If not then I think “land of Incense” has to be a reference to Somaliland or Djibouti also Solate definitely sounds like a reference to Somalis. There are no tribes or clans with that name in Eritrea AFAIK.

The Rauso and Solate were “enclosed by mountains”, so they never conquered any further south than the mountains.

 

[BidaarBoy]

The people of Rauso and Solate are on the borders between Eritrea and Djibouti near the Dahlak islands, it’s not Somalia.

That’s not consistent with the translation, it says Rauso were living amongst the incense gathering barbarians, At this time in Eritrea incense gathering and trading was dominated by highlanders not Afars/Sahos.
Incense gathering barbarians is more likely Somalis IMO

Also the Danakil/Djibouti coast isn’t really enclosed by mountains the same way the Somaliland coast is, look at the topography map of the region.

So they probably did conquer the Djibouti and Somaliland coast but probably didn’t go any further south than the mountains and we have no clue how far east they went

 

[Riftvalley]

That’s not consistent with the translation, it says Rauso were living amongst the incense gathering barbarians, At this time in Eritrea incense gathering and trading was dominated by highlanders not Afars/Sahos.
Incense gathering barbarians is more likely Somalis IMO

Also the Danakil/Djibouti coast isn’t really enclosed by mountains the same way the Somaliland coast is, look at the topography map of the region.

So they probably did conquer the Djibouti and Somaliland coast but probably didn’t go any further south than the mountains and we have no clue how far east they went

So they probably did conquer Northern Somalis? Based on some obscure wording in a propaganda document written by Axumite themselves?As far as we know and from the evidence we have, northern Somalis were ruled by chieftains since antiquity. Unless some grand archaeological discovery is made and it overwhelmingly proves Habashat conquered those territories, there is no probably everything.

Why build straw man arguments to suggest Habashat conquered us when the historical consensus is that our ancestors were independent for thousands of years until the dawn of colonialism?

why is the argument not “they probably did not conquer” northern Somalis? It’s funny how some of us are ready to accept these claims and others like Ethiopia semites in our land with the filmiest of evidence yet Somalis are expected to produce PHDs for historical claims they make.
It’s like some of you love doing the bidding of the xabasha and the white supremacist to give them any opportunity to claim/deny our lands/history. I am not saying OP is guilty of this. I am saying we need to wise up.

 

[BidaarBoy]

Based on some obscure wording in a propaganda document written by Axumite themselves?

It’s not “obscure wording” it states very clearly:

incense-gathering Barbarians between great waterless plains, and I subjugated the people of Solate, whom I ordered to guard the coasts of the sea. All these people, enclosed by mighty mountains”

What the hell is obscure about this?
The only people who were called barbarians were Lowland East Cushites and Bejas, and the text describes them as “incense gathering”, or it’s translated as “barbarians of the incense country”, Bejas don’t have a strong history of incense gathering/trading nor do the other lowland east Cushites so it’s almost certainly a reference to Somalis.


The same text reads

“I brought under my sway all the peoples who are adjacent to my land, on the east as far as the Land of Incense”

This is clearly a direct reference to Somalia/Djibouti.

So based on the text, we have “incense gathering barbarians who live to the east of Adulis in a place known to the world as Land of incense/barbaria”.

Please tell me any other group this could be a reference to because an honest reading clearly shows it’s talking about Somalis.

Unless some grand archaeological discovery is made and it overwhelmingly proves Habashat conquered those territories, there is no probably everything.

Lol there aren’t grand archaeological discoveries 100% confirming most things that are agreed upon by historians. This is a silly made up criteria that you definitely do not apply to Somalis. You’re asking for a smoking gun which is very dumb in this field.


Also I never once said Axum 100% held Somalia, I said they “probably” held the very Northern Somali coastal area whilst you very definitively state that this is all just hogwash and never happened. Strawman apparently, lol.

 

[Zak12]

@BidaarBoy looking more deeply into it, while its certainly a possibility that Aksum ruled some parts of northern Somalia, the problem is that this is the only text of its kind that explicitly states any rule over Somalis. Even later kings like Ezana who often boasted many lands they ruled never mentioned anything about Rauso or incense gathering people. For all we know, that passage is talking about a raid or brief occupation, not direct rule.

 

[Idilinaa]

I think Emir of Zayla is right they are talking about the area between Sudan and Djibouti, the translation says that after subjugating them , they ordered them guard the coast and the mountain was used as an enclosure. They have incense trees in Eritrea Boswellia Papyrifera and are mentioned among the exports from that region. That region inhabitants is also referred to as ''barbar'' in the periplus document.

That region also has left behind Axumite state structures and acted as a maritime outlet for the Axumites. Aside from this the Periplus document is very clear about the ports and the emporium along the Northern Somali coast are independent, each presided over by its individual chieftain.

It's not surprising. Northern Somalia was too remote and distant of a place for them to even arrive at, just as it was for the Abyssinians highlanders in the medieval times. You see it constantly mentioned in their records.

Furthermore Axumites weren't always controlling the northern coast between Sudan and Djibouti, at times the port of Adulis remained independent and was simply an important trade center for a wider region, the rest of the coast was controlled by semi-autonomous tribes and historians observed in its records that it's history was continually characterized by “unrest and rebellion among its peoples”, “anarchy and separation” where the kings could not feel safe beyond the limits of Aksum city.

 

[Riftvalley]

It’s not “obscure wording” it states very clearly:


What the hell is obscure about this?
The only people who were called barbarians were Lowland East Cushites and Bejas, and the text describes them as “incense gathering”, or it’s translated as “barbarians of the incense country”, Bejas don’t have a strong history of incense gathering/trading nor do the other lowland east Cushites so it’s almost certainly a reference to Somalis.


The same text reads

“I brought under my sway all the peoples who are adjacent to my land, on the east as far as the Land of Incense”

This is clearly a direct reference to Somalia/Djibouti.

So based on the text, we have “incense gathering barbarians who live to the east of Adulis in a place known to the world as Land of incense/barbaria”.

Please tell me any other group this could be a reference to because an honest reading clearly shows it’s talking about Somalis.



Lol there aren’t grand archaeological discoveries 100% confirming most things that are agreed upon by historians. This is a silly made up criteria that you definitely do not apply to Somalis. You’re asking for a smoking gun which is very dumb in this field.


Also I never once said Axum 100% held Somalia, I said they “probably” held the very Northern Somali coastal area whilst you very definitively state that this is all just hogwash and never happened. Strawman apparently, lol.

there was Incense gathering and cultivation along the Eritrean coast. It was not unique to Somalis or proto Somalis. There is some evidence indicating the Land of Punt was in Eritrea or at least extended to there.

Probably is a strong term considering your entire hypothesis relies one one account with uncertain names of places.

 

[BidaarBoy]

looking more deeply into it, while its certainly a possibility that Aksum ruled some parts of northern Somalia, the problem is that this is the only text of its kind that explicitly states any rule over Somalis. Even later kings like Ezana who often boasted many lands they ruled never mentioned anything about Rauso or incense gathering people. For all we know, that passage is talking about a raid or brief occupation, not direct rule.

The thing is, Adulis and Axum were connected but seperate kingdoms for much of their history, the text you posted was from Adulis and mentions conquering the “Gaze”, which is a reference to “Axumites” specifically. The same people who conquered Somalis probably conquered the city of Axum or at least for close to it based on the text. So Ezana was from Axum and probably never conquered or controlled any parts of Somalia based on the lack of references to it but Adulis probably did I think

 

[BidaarBoy]

and the mountain was used as an enclosure

Somaliland coast is enclosed by mountains, Djibouti isn’t

They have incense trees in Eritrea Boswellia Papyrifera and are mentioned among the exports from that region. That region inhabitants is also referred to as ''barbar'' in the periplus document.

The incense industry in Eritrea was historically dominated by highlanders and northern desert people, not Afars. Those incense trees you’re referring to mainly grow in the highlands and the north not the east.

The Barbar in those texts could easily still be Somalis, Adulis was the most important port in the Horn of Africa for a point in time so Somalis would have definitely used the port extensively.

Northern Somali coast are independent, each presided over by its individual chieftain.

Periplus is 1st century, this text is 3rd.

Northern Somalia was too remote and distant of a place for them to even arrive at, just as it was for the Abyssinians highlanders in the medieval times. You see it constantly mentioned in their records.

Hmm not really lol Axumites reached deep into Arabia, further than Yemen so I don’t think Somalia was too remote
Also what does medieval records have to do anything. This is a 3rd century text from Adulis not a 16th century one from central Ethiopia, 2 completely different situations.

Furthermore Axumites weren't always controlling the northern coast between Sudan and Djibouti, at times the port of Adulis remained independent and was simply an important trade center for a wider region, the rest of the coast was controlled by semi-autonomous tribes and historians observed in its records that it's history was continually characterized by “unrest and rebellion among its peoples”, “anarchy and separation” where the kings could not feel safe beyond the limits of Aksum city

Axumites did not leave this text it’s from Adulis. The same text literally mentions conquering the “Gaze” which a later 9th century note attached to the original description of the text states that Gaze = Axumites. So these very people in the text that mentioned conquering Somalis they most likely took the city of Axum aswell.

 

[BidaarBoy]

there was Incense gathering and cultivation along the Eritrean coast. It was not unique to Somalis or proto Somalis.

I never said it was unique to Somalis but it was historically dominated by Somalis and Highlanders, that’s it, not other lowland groups like Afars

Probably is a strong term considering your entire hypothesis relies one one account with uncertain names of places.

It’s not uncertain when they literally use the name “Barbaria”, that boils it down to the coastal regions of Sudan, Danakil or Somaliland, the fact that they call it incense country, which Sudan was NEVER referred to as, that eliminates Sudan, and the fact that they mention them as being to the EAST, leaves only Djibouti/Somaliland. The mountain description aswell as the use of the name “SOLATE” and “SEASEA” which are clear references to Somali and Cise, they almost certainly were talking about Somaliland coast.

Lol at “one account” half of the shit about Somalis here is “one account” someone found somewhere, doesn’t mean anything you could disregard a ridiculous amount of Somali history using your logic

 

[Zak12]

The thing is, Adulis and Axum were connected but seperate kingdoms for much of their history, the text you posted was from Adulis and mentions conquering the “Gaze”, which is a reference to “Axumites” specifically. The same people who conquered Somalis probably conquered the city of Axum or at least for close to it based on the text. So Ezana was from Axum and probably never conquered or controlled any parts of Somalia based on the lack of references to it but Adulis probably did I think

So its correct to say that it wasn't Aksum that ruled over northern Somalia but this Adulis state?

 

[BidaarBoy]

So its correct to say that it wasn't Aksum that ruled over northern Somalia but this Adulis state?

I think that’s the case yeah, I don’t know of any Axumite texts talking about Somalis or even anything that vaguely sounds like Somalis, only Adulis AFAIK. Someone on here claimed the Ezana text mentions the Rauso but I read the inscriptions and can’t find mention of the Rauso so I don’t think so.

Also the text mentions conquering/subjugating the locals and basically telling them to guard the sea and pay tax. That’s it. So it’s not like they really exploited or tried to really incorporate Somalia into their kingdom, Habesha in this time would conquer and often leave the locals alone as long as they paid tax and weren’t causing trouble

“All these people, enclosed by mighty mountains, I myself conquered in person in battle and brought them under my rule. I allowed them the use of all their lands in return for the payment of tribute. Many other peoples voluntarily subjected themselves to me by paying tribute…”

 

[BidaarBoy]

"Three deserted cities inland in the former British Somaliland were also investigated, the most interesting of which is Amud. Here there
are from 250 to 300 houses and a temple, which had been converted roughly into a mosque at some later date. It was built of carefully dressed masonry, and the building techniques, pottery, and lamps seem
to suggest a close connection with Axumite sites of the second to fifth centuries a.d.”

This is very interesting, it coincides right with when the text was made, 3rd century AD

 

[Idilinaa]

Somaliland coast is enclosed by mountains, Djibouti isn’t
View attachment 328135



The incense industry in Eritrea was historically dominated by highlanders and northern desert people, not Afars. Those incense trees you’re referring to mainly grow in the highlands and the north not the east.

The Barbar in those texts could easily still be Somalis, Adulis was the most important port in the Horn of Africa for a point in time so Somalis would have definitely used the port extensively.


Periplus is 1st century, this text is 3rd.



Hmm not really lol Axumites reached deep into Arabia, further than Yemen so I don’t think Somalia was too remote
Also what does medieval records have to do anything. This is a 3rd century text from Adulis not a 16th century one from central Ethiopia, 2 completely different situations.


Axumites did not leave this text it’s from Adulis. The same text literally mentions conquering the “Gaze” which a later 9th century note attached to the original description of the text states that Gaze = Axumites. So these very people in the text that mentioned conquering Somalis they most likely took the city of Axum aswell.

The fact that they left these inscription at Adulis is even more evidence that they never reached the Northern Somali coast but are speaking about the surrounding areas near the port, between Sudan and Eritrea. I have never mentioned Afar, it could be any tribes living there even Beja and Tigre. Beja in particular are noted to be warring against Axum

Otherwise they would have left the same material evidence and same state structures in the Somali region. But there isn't any. Inscriptions and material evidences survives in all the areas they conquered , even in South Arabia.

 

[BidaarBoy]

The fact that they left these inscription at Adulis is even more evidence that they never reached the Northern Somali coast but are speaking about the surrounding areas near the port.

Huh? That doesn’t make sense, they left the inscription at Adulis because the invasion was from a kingdom centred at Adulis….
Same way Ezana left inscriptions in Axum…

Otherwise they would have left the same material evidence and same state structures in the Somali region. But there isn't any. Inscriptions and material evidences survives in all the areas they conquered , even in South Arabia.

There are no texts or inscriptions found in any of the highland areas Adulis and Axumites mentioned conquering, nor are there any talking about conquering areas surrounding the port so using your logic that never happened either even through you just said it did???

Also there are no texts or inscriptions left behind by Adulites mentioning the conquest of south west Arabia, so that never happened even though Arabian documents mention it??

There’s been very little excavation in Somalia to say we have no material evidence of the conquest is dumb asf considering how little archaeological work has been done, there is next to no material evidence for MANY facts of Somali history accepted here so that’s a moot point, also there is evidence of Axumite influence in Somaliland

“The cruciform is known as laanqayr, and tombs are very common in the archaeology of Somaliland. There are also megalithic burials where the stones are arranged in a cross. The area of Dhuxun (62), in Saahil region, has many cruciform burials as well as other megalithic burials. There are many isolated, single Christian burials, massive in their design, which we have not included in this report. Dhubato in the Hargeysa region and the Saahil area have many ancient Christian burials which are aligned as a cross. Sites such as Suuqsade (Xarago tir), and Dhuxun of Xagal, Gala Caddo (23) near Dhagah Kure, Aroori (Laanta gadaal baxday) (24), and Kal Bare (57) contain ancient Christian burials. There are also finds of Christian codices in Somaliland. These seem to be written in Ethiopian languages, including Ge‘es.”



"Three deserted cities inland in the former British Somaliland were also investigated, the most interesting of which is Amud. Here there
are from 250 to 300 houses and a temple, which had been converted roughly into a mosque at some later date. It was built of carefully dressed masonry, and the building techniques, pottery, and lamps seem
to suggest a close connection with Axumite sites of the second to fifth centuries a.d.”

 

[Idilinaa]

Huh? That doesn’t make sense, they left the inscription at Adulis because the invasion was from a kingdom centred at Adulis….
Same way Ezana left inscriptions in Axum…



There are no texts or inscriptions found in any of the highland areas Adulis and Axumites mentioned conquering, nor are there any talking about conquering areas surrounding the port so using your logic that never happened either even through you just said it did???

Also there are no texts or inscriptions left behind by Adulites mentioning the conquest of south west Arabia, so that never happened even though Arabian documents mention it??

There’s been very little excavation in Somalia to say we have no material evidence of the conquest is dumb asf considering how little archaeological work has been done, there is next to no material evidence for MANY facts of Somali history accepted here so that’s a moot point, also there is evidence of Axumite influence in Somaliland

“The cruciform is known as laanqayr, and tombs are very common in the archaeology of Somaliland. There are also megalithic burials where the stones are arranged in a cross. The area of Dhuxun (62), in Saahil region, has many cruciform burials as well as other megalithic burials. There are many isolated, single Christian burials, massive in their design, which we have not included in this report. Dhubato in the Hargeysa region and the Saahil area have many ancient Christian burials which are aligned as a cross. Sites such as Suuqsade (Xarago tir), and Dhuxun of Xagal, Gala Caddo (23) near Dhagah Kure, Aroori (Laanta gadaal baxday) (24), and Kal Bare (57) contain ancient Christian burials. There are also finds of Christian codices in Somaliland. These seem to be written in Ethiopian languages, including Ge‘es.”



"Three deserted cities inland in the former British Somaliland were also investigated, the most interesting of which is Amud. Here there
are from 250 to 300 houses and a temple, which had been converted roughly into a mosque at some later date. It was built of carefully dressed masonry, and the building techniques, pottery, and lamps seem
to suggest a close connection with Axumite sites of the second to fifth centuries a.d.”

The presence of Christianity does not automatically translate to Axum occupation. Like Emir of Zayla explained it could be due to trade and cultural diffusion. As we have seen with South Arabian presence which are only commercial in nature. There have been a few excavations in Northern Somalia and all they did was confirm what was evident in the periplus document. But we will have to wait and see more of what archeology it will reveal later on , especially in the Eastern side of Somalia the heartland of the emporium.

In all the areas Axum conquered they left their settlements, structures and diaspora presence. Both in the highland, coastal area between Eritrea and Sudan and in South Arabia and there are numerous inscriptions left behind that speak about it. Take a read:

Chapter 11 The Aksumites in South Arabia: An African Diaspora of Late Antiquity

Abstract The Ethiopian kingdom of Aksum provides one of the few examples of an African polity which expanded outside the African continent. The kingdom is known to have occupied Yemen twice, first in the 3rd century a.d. and again in the 6th century. From Sabaic, Ge‘ez, Syriac, and Arabic...

brill.com

Something that can't be observed in Northern Somalia at all at the present moment.

 

[Laser]

The same text reads

“I brought under my sway all the peoples who are adjacent to my land, on the east as far as the Land of Incense”

This is clearly a direct reference to Somalia

The thing is, somalia isn't located on the east of adulis rather on the south?