Architecture, Liturgy, Chronology: Aksumite Christianity as a Cosmopolitan Paradigm (?)—The Case Study of Adulis (Eritrea)

Abstract: This study interrogates the multifaceted processes underlying the introduction and consolidation of Christianity within the Aksumite kingdom between the fourth and seventh centuries ce, centering on the urban and architectural dynamics of Adulis as a paradigmatic case. The Christianization of the region emerges as a complex, stratified phenomenon marked by an interplay of royal patronage, mercantile networks, and intercultural exchanges. The monumental ecclesiastical architecture of Adulis, including the episcopal complex and the eastern basilica, encapsulates a synthesis of indigenous traditions and transregional influences, notably from Syrian, Egyptian, and Byzantine liturgical paradigms. Key historical milestones underscore the profound and enduring ecclesiastical ties between Aksum and the Egyptian Church, serving as conduits for theological and architectural exchanges. Radiocarbon analyses and archaeological stratigraphy situate the apex of ecclesiastical construction within the late fifth to early sixth centuries. Furthermore, discovering Indian artifacts and epigraphic material within Adulis attests to its function as a nodal point in Afro-Eurasian networks, facilitating a vernacular cosmopolitanism. This evidence collectively problematizes linear or monolithic narratives of religious conversion, instead revealing a gradual, heterogeneous process shaped by the confluence of local agency and exogenous stimuli. This research repositions early Aksumite Christianity as a locus of cultural hybridity and transregional entanglement through a nuanced reading of architectural, liturgical, and epigraphic sources.