At its height the Aksumite Kingdom ruled an empire that extended across Most of present-day Eritrea, northern Ethiopia, Yemen, southern Saudi Arabia northern Djibouti, and northern Sudan. After converting to Christianity, c. 330 B.C., and cross replaced the disc and crescent on coins. Due to climate change and trade isolation, Aksum began to decline in the 7th century when the last coins were issued. The capital city, Aksum, is now a country village in northern Ethiopia.

Aksum is the purported home of the Ark of the Covenant. According to regional tradition, the Ark is housed in the Church of Mary of Zion. The Ark, according to legends, was brought to Aksum by Menelik, the son of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. No one but the one guard priest is allowed in, and thus no one can verify the Ark's existence.

According to the Kebra Nagast, when Menelik, came to visit his father in Jerusalem, his father gave him a copy of the Ark, and commanded the first-born sons of the elders of his kingdom to go to Ethiopia and settle there. The sons of the elders did not want to live away from the presence of the Ark, so they switched the copy with the original and smuggled the Ark out of the country. Menelik only learned that the original was with his group during the journey home.