Question

For what reason did king ezana of aksum choose to make his kingdom a christian state?

he wanted his people to stop practicing indigenous religions.
he wished to preserve the roman empire as an important trading partner
. he believed that it would help him gain control of the red sea region
he feared the possibility that a muslim ruler would overthrow him.

Answer 1

King Ezana of Aksum converted his kingdom to Christianity to strengthen political and trade relations with the Roman Empire and to assert control over the Red Sea trade. The conversion was influenced by Frumentius, a Syrian Christian who became the bishop of Aksum. The motivation was not related to the fear of Muslim rule, which came later.

Step-by-step explanation:

King Ezana of Aksum chose to convert his kingdom to a Christian state for several strategic reasons. While some may argue that he wanted to stop the practice of indigenous religions, the historical evidence suggests that his conversion was politically motivated to align more closely with the Roman Empire, an important trading partner of Aksum at the time, especially considering their reliance on Red Sea trade.

Christianity was introduced to the kingdom by the Syrian teacher Frumentius, who after his conversion, Ezana sent to Alexandria to request a bishop for Aksum. This helped to establish the Egyptian Coptic form of Christianity within the kingdom, aligning Aksum with the Roman Empire, enhancing its political and trade relations, and solidifying its power over the Red Sea region.

Moreover, King Ezana's conversion occurred before the rise of Islam; thus, any motivations related to fear of Muslim rule are anachronistic. The change is also reflected in the coinage of the time, with the Christian cross replacing previous symbols.