Final answer:
Both Aksum and Timbuktu were influential centers of trade in their regions, known for their remarkable architecture and as urbanized cultural and economic hubs.
Step-by-step explanation:
Aksum and Timbuktu shared several commonalities, but a notable characteristic they had in common was their status as centers of trade in their respective regions. Aksum was a powerful economic force from the third to the sixth century CE, with trade networks extending to Egypt, Arabia, and the eastern Mediterranean.
Similarly, Timbuktu was a vital part of the trans-Saharan trade, exporting goods such as gold, salt, textiles, and ivory. Both cities also became renowned for their architecture and urbanized centers, with monumental structures like palaces and temples in Aksum, and impressive mosques and educational institutions in Timbuktu.