Axum

Axum (Anxamum), the former capital of the kingdom of Tigre, Abyssinia. It is a very ancient city, and from the fourth century B.C. enjoyed great prosperity under a Greek dynasty. Christianity was introduced in the fourth century A.D. It is now in a state of decay. The church, built in 1657, is regarded as one of the finest in the country and contains a copy of the Chronicle of Axum, a record of Abyssinian history. Greek inscriptions have been found here. The city is about 120 miles from the Red Sea and a little to W. of Adowa.