part two
The obelisk’s repatriation was the result of persistent diplomatic efforts, symbolizing cultural restitution and the fight against colonial plunder. The distinct Axum steal evoke the obelisks of Egypt and the Nabatean tombs of Petra, showcasing a uniquely African synthesis of influences on engineering. It is a timeless blueprint for how the achievements of trade-driven societies become crucibles of innovation and cultural exchange.
Axum’s grandeur beautifully captures its global influence as a beacon of trade, faith, and diplomacy that shaped civilizations far beyond the Horn of Africa. Whether through its towering stela or its role in spreading Christianity, Axum’s heritage is a testament to Africa’s indelible mark on history. It was a game-changer phenomenon of the time that attracted people from different corners of the world.
Axum was more than an empire; it was a phenomenon that redefined Africa’s place in global history. Its ability to harness trade, faith, and cultural exchange—while leaving behind awe-inspiring monuments—proves that innovation and influence are timeless.
Both Axum and Dubai used monumental architecture projects to power and attract global attention. Steal as religious marks vs. Burj Khalifa as an economic statement, creating parallel wonders of their own time. The way the Axum kingdom wielded power through commerce is much like today’s commercial and tourist hubs. It’s really fascinating how trade-driven societies—ancient or modern—become melting pots of ideas, wealth, technologies, and state-of-the-art influences.
Axum’s wealth was built on trade monopolies, minted its own gold coins (used from Rome to Sri Lanka), and taxed caravans, while Dubai’s wealth was built on oil, trade, finance, and tourism, with tax-free zones attracting global corporations.
Axum blended African, South Arabian, Greek, and Jewish influences and hosted merchants, diplomats, and scholars from Rome, Persia, India, while Dubai hosts over 90% expatriate population (Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, and Western) and home to global cuisine, religions, and languages.
Governance in the Axum Monarchy while governance in Dubai Absolute monarchy. Despite the vast temporal divide, both Axum and Dubai serve as critical junctions of commerce, culture, and diplomacy. Axum, once an imperial beacon, shaped the ancient world through faith, trade, and diplomacy. Dubai, a modern marvel, channels that same global dynamism in technology, commerce, and novelty. These different time pieces are marvels of world heritage at different boundaries.
The luxury goods that Axum traded like, ivory, gold, incense, and exotic animals were the ancient world’s equivalent of oil, rare minerals, and high-tech exports today. They were comparable items that created opulence to the empire, like today’s oil of the Arab world.
The Kingdom of Axum about 100–700 century was a true powerhouse of its time, blending economic competence, cultural exchange, and political influence in ways that resonate even in modern global hubs like Dubai, Singapore, or Venice in its heyday. However, Axum had something Dubai and others don’t have as a legacy: the beginning of early Christianity in Africa, a written script (Ge’ez), and monumental obelisks that still stand today as architectural marvels.
As one of the “four great powers” of antiquity (alongside Rome, Persia, and China), Axum ’s achievement makes a powerful and imperative call for tourist visits. It is a demand that is impossible to ignore. All the same, the modern-day Dubai is now one of the hot spots of tourism in the world, both because of the marvels of the city skyline and the adventurous attempt made in the palm tree islands’ buildings.
The striking correspondence between Axum and Gulf states is that Axum’s control over ivory and gold made it an economic powerhouse, just as oil reserves brought the Gulf states’ dominance today.. Roman elites craved Axum ite ivory for furniture and art, much like today’s luxury markets depend on Gulf petrodollar items.
Unlike the Gulf States, which focus on financial investments, Axum left behind monuments, inscriptions, and an enduring cultural legacy. Axum didn’t just sell goods—it cultivated mystique. The export of exotic animals like elephants for Roman circuses or Indian kings was a diplomatic tool, similar to how Gulf States today use falconry, elite horse breeds, or even football clubs (e.g., Qatar’s PSG) to project influence.
Their stories highlight the timeless power of trade networks, how monumental construction asserts identity, and show risks of resource dependency (Axum’s fall due to decline of gold and ivory vs. Dubai’s diversification in fear of depletion of oil reserve show case different angle contrast).
The Sheba-Axum trade legacy linked to the Queen of Sheba became part of Ethiopia’s national mythology, just as the UAE and Saudi Arabia tie their modern identities to Bedouin heritage and pearl-diving pasts. Such fascinating comparable items of heritage may not happen to exist without reason.
Axum thrived on gold, ivory, and incense, while the Gulf States built their wealth on oil and maritime commerce. The Axum ite coinage featuring kings in crowns and crosses was one of the first sub-Saharan currencies recognized internationally, much like the UAE Dirham or Saudi Riyal today, being stable and trade-friendly.
As Rome and other old trade partners demanded more ivory, while the supply declined for different reasons, Axum felt the pinch. Similarly, Gulf States now have to diversify away from oil, feeling a similar pinch for possible depletion and Climatic effect, or alternative energy resource discoveries. One can draw an extraordinary comparison between Axum’s ancient trade empire and the modern Gulf States, showing how economic shifts shape the fate of civilizations.
This parallel on the tread and diplomatic order is nothing short of an extraordinary, thought-provoking line that may lead to civilization resilience. For me, it doesn’t seem just a simple coincidence but a reasonable contour that both old and new civilizations uniquely share. It seems to have something to do with their influence on the trade and diplomatic power of their tenure. Axum and Dubai stand as echoes across time, both rising from challenging landscapes to command global influence.
Axum was the Dubai of the ancient world beacon of wealth and innovation at the crossroads of continents, while Dubai, in turn, is the Axum of the modern age, proving a strategic vision that can turn deserts into a wonderful empire. It seems that Axum’s fallen obelisk whispers that civilizations rise, but only the adaptable endure, while Dubai’s Burj Khalifa seems to affirm that civilizations can rise again if people try to use their time and resources to build wonders.
Both Axum and Dubai embody the transformation of barrenness into brilliance, proving that when vision, resources, and relentless effort converge, even the most hostile landscapes can become stages for extraordinary achievement. Axum’s stela declared, “We command stone.” Dubai’s Palm Tree Islands declares, “We command sand and sea.” They are real testaments to human ingenuity and unique parallels. This parallel makes one wonder: where and when the world will show the next marvel with the lucky winner of the secret code of the great transformation of barrenness into brilliance.
Editor’s note: The first part of “Axum vs. Dubai” explored the striking parallels between ancient Axum and modern Dubai—two civilizations that turned geographic adversity into triumphs of engineering, commerce, and cultural influence. From Axum’s monumental obelisks to Dubai’s record-breaking skyscrapers, both stand as enduring symbols of human ingenuity. Their legacies as global trade hubs and architectural marvels offer powerful lessons in resilience, innovation, and ambition. What follows is Part II—the continuation of last week’s edition. Enjoy the read
BY GIZACHEW WOLDE
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 26 JUNE 2025
