Final answer:
Religious issues played a critical role in shaping the political authority and cultural identities of the Aksumite and Himyarite societies. Christianity and Judaism, respectively, influenced their governments, culture, and interactions with neighboring powers, often leading to unity internally but conflict externally.
Step-by-step explanation:
Religious issues significantly influenced the cultures of the Aksumite and Himyarite societies. In the case of Aksum, which was located in northeastern Africa, Christianity was embraced as the state religion and deeply affected the kingdom's political structure and cultural practices. Religious leaders played a key role in society and government, and this faith influenced the kingdom's art and architecture, evident in the construction of monumental churches and religious inscriptions. Meanwhile, in the Himyarite kingdom in southern Arabia, Judaism was the dominant religion. Here, religious identity also informed the exercise of political power and cultural norms. This is highlighted by the Himyarite kingdom's efforts to establish itself as a Jewish state, resisting the influence of surrounding Christian and polytheistic states.Religious devotion in both societies was publicly expressed through the creation of inscriptions and the construction of monuments dedicated to their faiths, promoting a sense of unity among their people. However, this religious solidarity also occasionally prompted violent conflicts with neighboring entities that held different beliefs, leading to military engagements and territorial disputes.It is clear that religious issues played a critical role in shaping the political authority and cultural identity of both Aksum and Himyar, and their rulers were not hesitant to demonstrate their religious convictions publicly. This devotion both united their populations internally and sometimes set them against neighboring states, which significantly affected the development and foreign relations of their societies.