Arian Axum

The basic timeframe for Arian and Axum, is that during the 4th century that the Ethiopian Church and the Christianization of Axum through Frumentius began (roughly beginning in the 320s). Arius and Frumentius pretty much ran around in the same area of the Levent and Alexandria area, Constantius II is also at this time considered a Arian. We also have the Arian Theophilos the Indian who a few decades laterworked in the area of Ethiopia and the Indian Ocean in spreading the Arian doctrine.

So I feel thats its quite possible that a series of Alternate Historical Events could lead to the conversion of the Axumite and Ethiopian Kingdoms to Arianism.


The POD-
  • Frumentius becomes a follower of Arian sometime early in his life. (OTL still gets captured by pirates and send to Axum)
  • Following the First Council of Nicea Arius is sent into exile in remote region of the Sinai Peninsula
  • Frumentius returns to Alexandria to get permission to convert Axum to Arianism, gets permission from Eusebius of Nicomedia. Establishes Arian Council. King Ezana fully converts to Arianism.
  • Theophilios in 354 OTL is exiled to Southern Arabia, spreads to the Himyarites and establishes several Churches in Southern Arabia and is invited by King Ezana to establish Churches in Axum, takes Theophilios under his wing to spread the religion more in the area.
Thereon Axum converts to Arianism, and stays like so when the doctrine takes a downturn in the Roman Empire and the rest of the Med. Sea area. I think this could definitly mess around with Islam (Muhammad makes Arianism more poplular in the Egypt, North Africa, Levent, and Persia if you know what I mean....) and define the Byzantine support (or lack of) for Axum.
 
The Arian Axum TL

316- Frumentius, a Devout Arian Christian, and his brother re captured by pirates on the Red Sea and Frumentius becomes the tutor-friend of Prince Ezana.

321- Ezana becomes Negus of Axum and Frumenius returns toAlexandria to gain petition to convert the Aksumites to the Arian Doctrine.

325- Following the First Council of Nicea, Arius is sentenced to Exile in southern Egypt, where he encourages Frumentius.

328- Eusebius of Nicomedia gives Frumentius the right to establisha churcha nd convert the Aksumites, while planning makes several forays with Arius to convert the Kushites.

336- Arius dies, his death proclaimed as being Divinely intervened by Niceneans and assassination by Arians, Arius is declared a Saint by the Ethiopian Arian Church and is body is entombed in Axum by special request.

337-Constantine the Great dies, converted on his deathbed to Christianity by Eusebius of Nicomedia, the Chisop of Constantinople. Leading to a conflict bewteen his sons as the Empire is divided and the streams of Chrisanity duke it out for supremacy.

337-Constantius II becomes Emperor of the United Roman Empire, favoring Arianism. Untill the reign of Julian the religious politics of the Empire become a squabble between Arians, Semi-Arians, and Nicenians. Unsuccessful in bringing the factions together.

340- Like with Frumentius, Eusebius of Nicomedia sends Ulfila to the Goths transating the Bible to Gothic and converting the Goths to Arianism.

342- Frumentius returns to Axum and establishes his episcopal see, baptizes Ezana and anumber of others and essentially begins the Arian Period for Axum with the foundation of the Ethiopian Arian Church.

354- Theophilus the Indian is sent by Constantius II after mistrust over involvement in a revolt, converts to Himyarites, and is invited by Ezana and Frumentius to lead conversion and churches in southern Axum.

360: Ezama Dies, Mehadeyis pushes the spread of Arianism in Axum.

379- Theodosius I becomes Emperor of the Roman Empire.

381- Theodosius holds the First Council of Constantinople, utterly condeming and outlawing Arianism and leading to the prevalence of the Nicene Creed, leading to persecutions and a wave of religious exiles to Axum. Frumentius is shocked by this turn of events and goes into a depression which he comes out of ayear later denouncing the wave of Niceneans in the Roman Empire.

383- Frumentius dies and is declared a Saint, by the Ethiopian Arian Church and throughout Axum while is condemmed by those in the Roman Empire. This sets off a cold foreign relations stance bewteen Axum and Rome, leading to clashes along the borders and in the Red Sea.

400- Eon of Axum becomes King of Axum. Leads expedition into Southern Arabia.

410-Sack of Rome reaches some acclaim by bitter Arian Axumites.

345- Monophysite and Arian riots are put down by Byzantine troops in Egypt, their are notices of several clashes with Axum military units on the sea and land border as supporters from Axum frequently cross over into Roman Egypt to lend support.

470-Major Vandal Victory against the Byzantines and Romans.

474-First Arian War Commences.
 
Arianism, will go over much better with the Bedouin, and when it explodes out of Axum/Arabia in the 7th century will be more acceptable to the Monophysites of Egypt.
 
The First Arian War

With Emperor Zeno on the throne of the Eastern Empire by the 470s the whole Med. world was in a state of change and chaos as the Byzantines delt with the decay of the Western Empire, revolts by internal admisnistrators the post Hunnic period, and the rising of the Gothic and Vandal powers in the west as these heretical Arians threatened the might of Constantinople with invasion and insolence. As well as revolts in Egypt, with Arian and Monosphytes rebelling gainst the Nicenen authority of Rome and Constantinople. Wishing to seen a extension of Axumite power up the Nile, Ebana of Axum allowed for a Axumite army to suddenly advance against ancient Nile defenses in southern Egypt, the Axumite army crossing into Byzantine Egypt as far as the Nile Delta. This news went over quite well with the Goths and Vandals, especially amongst the Arian majority and this prompted enthusiasim by Theodoric Strabo in going against Zeno and delayed the Vandal peace that was in the works, with great plundering being made by Vandal pirates attacking shipping fleeing from the area. Though all was not to last, the Axumites ruled most of Egypt up untill 481 when the Emperor Zeno returned to Egypt and drove them from the Delta area. By this point Theoforic Strabo had died and the man Theodoric the Great despite his Arian afflication wished to maintain peace and power by keeping well to the Byzantines, so therego the only enthusiastic supporters were the Vandals though by this point their power was on the downslide.and could not do anything to really help Axum. The First Arian War ended soon thereafter, with a peace being settled by granting reliigous freedom for Arians and Monosphytes in southern Egypt south of ancient Abydos and inspiring a movement of those not wanting to be persecuted to the area and to Axum.
 
Arianism, will go over much better with the Bedouin, and when it explodes out of Axum/Arabia in the 7th century will be more acceptable to the Monophysites of Egypt.
:confused:Why on earth would Arianism be MORE acceptable to the Monophysites of Egypt? ???

Monophysites and Duophysites both agree on the divinity of Christ, on the Trinity. THAT is the central issue that really defines Christianity. Arians (like modern JWs) believe that Jesus was 'divine/God-like' but not 'God', which is an ENTIRELY different kettle of fish.

The whole Mono/Duo-physite Mono/Duo/Heno-thelite (sp?), etc. is mostly hair splitting over points of doctrine that us mere mortals won't ever actually understand. (Given the omnipotence and ineffability of God, that we probably CAN'T understand.)

However... Is Christ GOD, one with the Father and the Spirit? That's a simple up/down, yes/no decision and a much greater divide that between the various Nphysites.

Since Islam is only one step beyond Arianism from Orthodoxy, I can see why you'd think the Bedouin would like it. OTOH, I suspect they leaped on Islam because it was THEIRS as much as anything. I could be wrong.
 
Considering how similar Arian Christianity and Islam are to one another, it's to no surprise that the Bedouins had readily accepted it
 
Why on earth would Arianism be MORE acceptable to the Monophysites of Egypt? ???
There is No God But Allah, And Arius & Frumentius are his Prothets.
While under Mono thought Jesus and Spirt are part of God, God Him [her?] Self is ONE and non dividisble.
My understanding is the Monophysites objected to the implied spliting of God into 3 Equal parts if Jesus and the Spirt are equal, to God.
The Arian concept of Christ is that the Son of God did not always exist, but was created by—and is therefore distinct from and inferior to—God the Father.
This allows the Mono to keep Jesus/Spirt without belittling the individibility of God.
 
There is No God But Allah, And Arius & Frumentius are his Prothets.
While under Mono thought Jesus and Spirt are part of God, God Him [her?] Self is ONE and non dividisble.
My understanding is the Monophysites objected to the implied spliting of God into 3 Equal parts if Jesus and the Spirt are equal, to God.

This allows the Mono to keep Jesus/Spirt without belittling the individibility of God.

Umm... No, I'm quite sure you're misinterpreting something. Monophysites believed that Christ (and the Spirit) were God. They may well have claimed that the Byzantines were the ones demoting Jesus, splitting the Godhead. But if that's the case, they're going to be even MORE upset with Arians who deny Jesus is part of the Godhead at all.
 
Well with the case of the Egyptian Revolts its more a case of politics, sure the Arians have a doctrinal difference, but at the now, during the Coptic Period of Egypt with tensions running high bewteen them and the Orthodox Church of the Byzantines a bid for independence is more agreeable....I should say in the next update that while their is amigration of Arians southward, the Monophysites do not do such the same inspiring more want for independence from the Byzantines and Arian Axumites.
 
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