The development of Ethiopia was highly influenced by both the geography and religion of the region. The kingdom of Aksum began to thrive around 300 B.C., until approximately A.D. 600. The territory of the kingdom of Aksum spread from the mountains of present-day Ethiopia to the Red Sea. The strategic location of this kingdom made it a great candidate to become a major center of trade. It attracted merchants from central Africa, Persia, India, and Egypt. Its access to several different trade routes (e.g.: waterways such as the Nile River and the Red Sea) provided Ethiopia with the perfect conditions for trade. Its major port was the city of Adulis, in the Northern Red Sea of Eritrea. A wide variety of products were traded in Adulis, some of which include olive oil, cloth, gold, salt, ivory, glass, and gems.
As a consequence of Aksum's strategic location and its distinguished role in international trading, the culture of the city developed into a blend of several of its adjacent cultures. The people from Aksum were <em>influenced by the Egyptians, the Arabs, the Romans and the Greeks</em>. After 325 CE Christianity was the primary religion, and it had a significant impact on the culture as well. Aksum was one of the most advanced cultures of Ancient Africa.
