Archaeologists have unearthed a massive fortified city in the Tigray region that served as a strategic military and economic hub for the Aksumite Empire. The citadel, spanning over 40 acres, features a unique double-walled defensive system and an intact minting quarter containing rare gold and silver coins of King Kaleb and King Ella Amida.
The site, located near the modern town of Adigrat, includes monolithic throne bases and a grand administrative palace with a central courtyard. Analysis of the slag heaps surrounding the city indicates that it was a major center for the industrial production of iron weaponry used to guard the southern trade routes into the African interior.
Found within the royal apartments were imported Roman glassware and Indian carnelian beads, emphasizing the global connectivity of the Aksumite elite. Researchers state that the discovery of this 'Lost City of the South' fills a critical gap in our understanding of Aksumite territorial expansion and governance.