List of kings of Axum

The kings of Axum ruled an important trading state in the area which is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, from 400 BC to 960 AD.

List

The following table contains names from both traditional regnal lists and names that are archeologically verified. German August Dillmann grouped the regnal lists into three types and the order of names will be based on his lists. The spelling of certain names are taken from lists recorded by E. A. Wallis Budge. The overall order of monarchs is partially based on the 1922 [regnal list of Ethiopia], which is the only official Ethiopian regnal list that attempted to combine names from different lists into a longer chronological order.

Legendary period

Monarchs who reigned before Menelik I.

Portrait	Name	Dates	Notes
	Arwe "the serpent"	18th century BC	Mythical serpent who reigned for 400 years. Also known as Wainaba.
	Angabo	14th century BC	Killed the evil serpent king Arwe. Ruled for 200 years.
	Gedur I	12th century BC	Ruled for 100 years. Also known as Zagdur.
	Sebado	11th century BC	Ruled for 50 years.
	Kawnasya	10th century BC	Ruled for 1 year.
	Makeda / Azeb	10th century BC	Daughter of Kawnasya. Ruled for 50 years. In Ethiopian tradition, she is identified with the Biblical Queen of Sheba.

BCE era

Monarchs who reigned from Menelik I to Bazen.

Portrait	Name	Dates	Notes
	Ibn al-Hakim	10th century BC	Son of Makeda and Solomon in Ethiopian tradition. No. 1 on Dillmann's lists A and B. Reigned for 24, 25 or 29 years.
	Handadyu I		No. 2 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 or 8 years.
	Tomai		No. 2 on Dillmann's list B. Reigned for 15 years. Son of Menelik I. Sometimes known as Abd-Rakid.
	Aweda		No. 3 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 11 years. Also known as Aweda-Amat.
	Gedur II		No. 3 on Dillmann's list B.
	Aksumay		No. 4 on Dillmann's list B.
	Awseyo		No. 4 on Dillmann's list A and no. 5 on Dillmann's list B. Reigned for 3 years.
	Sawe / Tahawasya		No. 5 on Dillmann's list A and no. 6 on list B. Reigned for 31 or 34 years.
	Abralyus		No. 7 on Dillmann's list B.
	Warada Dahay		No. 8 on Dillmann's list B.
	Handadyu II		No. 9 on Dillmann's list B.
	Warada Nagash		No. 10 on Dillmann's list B.
	Awseya		No. 11 on Dillmann's list B.
	Gasyo		No. 6 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for half a day.
	Mawat		No. 7 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for either 8 years and 1 month, 8 years and 4 months, or 20 years and 1 month. Confusion of reign length may have resulted from similarity between the Ge'ez numbers for 8 and 20 and the numbers for 1 and 4.
	Elalyon		No. 12 on Dillmann's list B.
	Toma Seyon		No. 13 on Dillmann's list B.
	Bahas / Basyo		No. 8 on Dillmann's list A and no. 14 on list B. Reigned for 9 years. Possibly the same king as Gasyo in list A.
	Awtet I		No. 15 on Dillmann's list B.
	Zaware Nebrat		No. 16 on Dillmann's list B.
	Safay		No. 17 on Dillmann's list B.
	Ramhay	c. 330s–320s BC	No. 18 on Dillmann's list B. According to an unpublished manuscript from Aksum, this king was a contemporary of Alexander the Great and asked for Greek technicians and engineers to build palaces, monuments and stelae, one of which was destroyed centuries later by Gudit.
	Hande		No. 19 on Dillmann's list B.
	Kawida		No. 9 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 years.
	Kanaz		No. 10 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 10 years.
	Hadena		No. 11 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 9 years. A female monarch according to the 1922 regnal list.
	Wazeha		No. 12 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year.
	Hadir		No. 13 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 years.
	Kalas		No. 14 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 6 or 7 years. Confusion may have arisen from the similarity of the Ge'ez numbers for 6 and 7.
	Satyo		No. 15 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 16 or 17 years.
	Filya / Safelya		No. 16 on Dillmann's list A and no. 20 on list B. Reigned for 26 or 27 years. E. A. Wallis Budge theorised this king was Aphilas.
	Aglebu / Aglebul		No. 17 on Dillmann's list A and no. 21 on list B. Reigned for 3 years.
	Awsena		No. 18 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year. A female monarch according to the 1922 regnal list.
	Bawawel		No. 22 on Dillmann's list B.
	Birwas / Bawaris		No. 19 on Dillmann's list A and no. 23 on list B. Reigned for 29 years.
	Mahasi		No. 20 on Dillmann's list A and no. 24 on list B. Reigned for 1 year.
	Nalke		No. 25 on Dillmann's list B.
	Bazen	8 BC–8 or 9 AD	No. 21 on Dillmann's list A and no. 26 on list B. Reigned for 16 or 17 years. Axumite regnal lists consistently date this king's reign to 8 years before the birth of Jesus. A tomb has been identified in local tradition as belong to Bazen.

CE Era (Pre-Christian)

Monarchs who reigned after Bazen and before the Christianisation of Ethiopia.

Portrait	Name	Dates	Notes
	Sartu		No. 1 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 26 or 27 years.
	Senfa Asgad		No. 1 on Dillmann's list C.
	Senfa Arad		No. 1 on Dillmann's list B.
	L'as		No. 2 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 10 years.
	Bahr Asagad		No. 2 on both Dillmann's list B and list C.
	Masenh		No. 3 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 7 years.
	Germa Sor		No. 3 on Dillmann's list B.
	Setwa		No. 4 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 9 years.
	Germa Asfare I		No. 4 on Dillmann's list B and no. 3 on list C.
	Adgala		No. 5 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 10 years and 6 or 7 months.
	Agba		No. 6 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 6 months.
	Serada		No. 4 on Dillmann's list C.
	Malis or Malik		No. 7 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 4, 6 or 7 years.
	Kulu Seyon		No. 5 on Dillmann's list C.
	Hakli		No. 8 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 13 years.
	Zoskales	1st century	The earliest known Axumite king from outside the traditional regnal lists. Recorded in Periplus of the Erythraean Sea. Could be the king Za Hakli or a local ruler in Adulis. The identification with Hakli has been disputed by some historians because the earliest of the regnal lists post date the Periplus by well over a thousand years
	Sarguai		No. 4 on Dillmann's list B and no. 6 on list C.
	Demahe		No. 9 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 10 years.
	Zaray		No. 5 on Dillmann's list B and no. 7 on list C.
	Awtet II		No. 10 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 years.
	Bagamai		No. 8 on Dillmann's list C.
	El–Aweda		No. 11 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 30 years.
	Djan Asagad		No. 9 on Dillmann's list C.
	Saba Asgad		No. 6 on Dillmann's list B.
	Zegen and Rema		No. 12 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 4 or 8 years.
	Seyon Hegez		No. 10 on Dillmann's list C.
	Seyon Geza		No. 7 on Dillmann's list B.
	Moal Genha		No. 11 on Dillmann's list C.
	Gafale		No. 13 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year.
	Besi Sark		No. 14 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 4 years.
	Agdur		No. 8 on Dillmann's list B and no. 13 on list C.
	Ela–Asguagua		No. 15 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 76 or 77 years.
	GDRT	Early 3rd century	Inscriptions of GDR are the oldest surviving royal inscriptions in the Ge'ez alphabet. Inscriptions mention his son BYGT. Possibly the king who wrote the Monumentum Adulitanum. His name could have inspired the names Gedur and Zagdur that appear on traditional lists.
	Ela–Herka		No. 16 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 21 years.
	Besi Saweza		No. 17 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year.
	Wakana		No. 18 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 or 2 days. A female monarch according to the 1922 regnal list.
	Hadus		No. 19 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 4 months.
	Ela–Sagal		No. 20 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 or 3 years.
	Ela–Asfeha I		No. 21 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 14 years.
	ʽDBH	First half of the 3rd century	Known through South Arabian inscriptions. Inscriptions mention his son GRMT.
	Ela–Segab		No. 22 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 23 years.
	Ela–Samara		No. 23 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 3 years.
	Sembrouthes	c. 250	Known from a single inscription in Ancient Greek that was found at Dekemhare, which is dated to his 24th regnal year. First known ruler of Ethiopia to use the title "King of Kings". May have erected the Monumentum Adulitanum. May be the same king as Ela–Samara, but regnal lists only record 3 years of rule for him.
	DTWNS	Second half of the 3rd century	Mentioned with his son ZQRNS in an inscription from al-Mis'al in Yemen.
	Ela–Aiba		No. 24 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 16 or 17 years.
	Ela–Eskendi		No. 25 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 37 years.
	Ela–Saham I		No. 26 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 9 years.
	Ela–San		No. 27 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 13 years.
	Ela–Ayga		No. 28 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 18 years.
	Endybis	c. 295–310	The oldest known Axumite coins date to this king's reign.
	Aphilas	c. 310–early 320s	Only known from coins minted during his reign.
	Ousanas I Ela–Ameda I Saifa Ared	early 320s–mid 340s	Stuart Munro-Hay believed it is "very likely" that Ousanas is the king to whom Aedesius and Frumentius were brought. This king is known as Ella Amida in Ethiopian tradition. No. 29 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 30 years and 8 months according to traditional lists. Known as Tazer in some sources and lists. Saifa Ared is the throne name of Tazer, and this name is no. 9 on Dillmann's list B and no. 12 on list C. Tazer/Seifa Ared is the father of Abreha and Atsbeha in Ethiopian tradition.
	Wazeba	late 330s	Only known from coins minted during his reign, which were the first to be engraved in Ge'ez. Possibly a usurper during the reign of Ousanas.
	Ela–Ahyawa Sofya	mid 340s	Regent during the minority of her son Ezana. According to an unpublished history of kings from Axum, this ruler was the wife of Ella Amida and reigned for three years during the minority of her sons Abreha and Atsbeha. The Gedle Abreha and Asbeha from the Church of Abreha wa-Atsbeha names her Sofya, and states she was the wife of king Tazer and mother of Abreha and Atsbeha. No. 30 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 3 years. Known as Egwala Anbasa in some sources.

Christian Monarchs (4th–10th centuries)

Monarchs who were Christian, beginning with the reign of Ezana of Axum and/or Abreha and Atsbeha.

Portrait	Name	Dates	Notes
	Ezana / Ezanas	mid 340s–380	First Christian king of Axum. Converted by Frumentius. The exact date for the conversion is unknown and the circumstances around it have been obscured by hagiographical writings which have been "embellished by novelistic elements". The latest possible year for Ezana's conversion would be 360, which was calculated by Ethiopians as the beginning of an era in their medieval calendar. His name does not appear on traditional regnal lists.
	Ela–Abreha and Atsbeha	Early 4th century	In Ethiopian tradition, these brothers were the first to convert to Christianity. Likely based on Ezana and his brother Saizana. No. 31 on Dillmann's list A, no. 10 on list B and no. 14 on list C. Reigned for 27 years and 6 months.
	Abreha I		No. 1 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 12 years.
	Atsbeha I		No. 1 on Dillmann's list B.
	Asfeha II		No. 2 on Dillmann's list A and no. 1 on list C. Reigned for 6 or 7 years.
	Sahel I		No. 3 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 14 years.
	Ouazebas	late 4th century	Only known from coins minted during his reign.
	Adhana I		No. 4 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 14 years. A female monarch according to the 1922 regnal list.
	Rete		No. 5 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year.
	Asfeha III		No. 6 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year.
	Atsbeha II		No. 7 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 5 years.
	Eon/'Noe	first third of 5th century	Primarily known from coins minted during his reign. Name written as Eon Bisi Anaaph on his coins. His coins were the first to use the title of "King of the land of the Abyssinians" instead of "King of the Axumites". Possibly the "Huina" from the Book of the Himyarites.
	MHDYS	c. 430	Primarily known from coins minted during his reign. May have been mentioned in Dionysiaca by Nonnus.
	Ameda II		No. 8 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 16 years.
	Abreha II		No. 9 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 6 months.
	Sahel II		No. 10 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 months.
	Gabaz I		No. 11 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 years.
	Sahel III		No. 12 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 1 year.
	Atzbah		No. 13 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 3 years.
	Ebana	middle third of 5th century	Only known from coins minted during his reign.
	Abreha III and Adhana II		No. 14 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 16 years. Adhana II was a female monarch according to the 1922 regnal list.
	Saham II		No. 15 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 28 years.
	Nezool / Nezana	later 5th century	Only known from coins minted during his reign. The name Nezool is the king's native name transcribed into Greek. The title "King of the land of the Abyssinians" was replaced by the formula "God's beneficence" beginning with coins of this king.
	Ameda III		No. 16 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 12 years.
	Sahel IV		No. 17 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 years.
	Sebah		No. 18 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 2 years.
	Saham III		No. 19 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 15 years.
	Gabaz II		No. 20 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 21 years.
	Agabe and Lewi		No. 21 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 4 years.
	Arfed		No. 2 on both Dillmann's lists B and C. Brother of and co-ruler with Amsi according to list C.
	Amsi		No. 3 on both Dillmann's lists B and C. Brother of and co-ruler with Arfed according to list C.
	Arad		No. 4 on Dillmann's list C.
	Saladoba		No. 4 on Dillmann's list B and no. 5 on list C.
	Ameda IV Alamida	late 530s–550s	The Nine Saints came to Ethiopia during his reign. No. 22 on Dillmann's list A, no. 5 on list B and no. 6 on list C. Reigned for 11 years.
	Yaqob I and Dawit		No. 23 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned jointly for 3 years.
	Armah I		No. 24 on Dillmann's list A and no. 13 on list C. Reigned for 14 years and 7 months.
	Ousas / Ousanas II Zitana / Tazena	early 6th century	No. 25 on Dillmann's list A, no. 6 on list B and no. 7 on list C. Reigned for 2 years. The name Ousanas was abbreviated to Ousana or Ousas on some coins.
	Yaqob II		No. 26 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 9 years. Known for his shocking cruelties and wickedness and was defeated by Ella Atsbeha.
	Kaleb / Kaleb Constantinos I Atsbeha III	510s–late 530s	No. 27 on Dillmann's list A, no. 7 on list B and no. 8 on list C. Reigned for 28 years. Some of his coins record the filiation "son of Thezana", which is unique among Axumite kings. This suggests he wanted to legitimise his descent from a former king. Wolfgang Kahn and Vincent West suggested this king was Nezana.
	Beta Israel	c. 550 or 570s	Son of Kaleb. No. 28 on Dillmann's list A. Reigned for 8 months according to the traditional lists.
	Gabra Masqal	534–548	Son of Kaleb. The composer Yared lived during this king's reign. No. 29 on Dillmann's list A, no. 8 on list B and no. 9 on list C. Reigned for 14 years.
	Constantinos II		Son of Gabra Masqal. No. 9 on Dillmann's list B and no. 10 on list C.
	Wazena	550s and 560s	Only known from coins minted during his reign.
	WʽZB	6th century	Only known from coins minted during his reign.
	Wasan Sagad		No. 10 on Dillmann's list B. Son of Gabra Masqal according to one list. Theorised by E. A. Wallis Budge to be the same person as Bazgar.
	Bazgar		No. 11 on Dillmann's list C.
	Asfeha IV		No. 12 on Dillmann's list C.
	Djan Asfeh		No. 14 on Dillmann's list C.
	Djan Asgad		No. 15 on Dillmann's list C.
	Saifu	c. 577	A possible Axumite king mentioned in a Chinese biography of the prophet Muhammad, as the grandfather of the king who ruled during the Muslime Migration to Abyssinia. Stuart Munro-Hay thought it was plausible Saifu was a historical Axumite king. Wolfgang Hahn instead believes Saifu was Saif ibn Dhi Yazan and had no connection at all with the Axumite monarchy.
	Fere Sanai		No. 11 on Dillmann's list B and no. 16 on list C.
	Gersem	c. 580	Only known from coins minted during his reign. E. A. Wallis Budge theorised this king used the Biblical name Gershom.
	Ioel / Joel	590s–after 600 or c. 600	Only known from coins minted during his reign.
	Hataz / Hethasas	c. 590 or c. 620	Only known from coins minted during his reign. Known as Iathlia on some coins.
	Armah	late 6th century/early 7th century	Primarily known from coins minted during his reign. Two kings named Armah appear on traditional regnal lists, but their chronological placement is at odds with numistic evidence.
	Aderaz	620–623	No. 12 on Dillmann's list B and no. 17 on list C. Ethiopian sources identify this king as the Najashi of Islamic tradition.
	Najashi	614–630	Reigned at the time of the Muslim Migration to Abyssinia in 613 or 615. Name likely based on the title Negus.
	Zeray I Akala Udem / Eklewudem	623–633	No. 13 on Dillmann's list B and no. 23 on list C.
	Germa Asfare II Germay Asfar	633–648	No. 14 on Dillmann's list B and no. 24 on list C.
	Zeray II Zirgaz I / Germa Sor	648–656	No. 15 on Dillmann's list B and no. 25 on list C.
	Zirgaz II Degna Mikael	656–677	No. 16 on Dillmann's list B and no. 26 on list C. A contemporary of Heraclius according to a manuscript from Debre Markos.
	Ekle Bahr Ikla / Bahre Ekil	677–696	No. 17 on Dillmann's list B.
	Hizba Sion Gum	696–720	No. 18 on Dillmann's list B.
	Asguamgum	720–725	No. 19 on Dillmann's list B.
	Letem	725–741	No. 20 on Dillmann's list B.
	Talatem	741–762	No. 21 on Dillmann's list B.
	Oda Gosh / Badagaz / Adegosh Lul Sagad	762–775	No. 22 on Dillmann's list B and no. 27 on list C.
	Ayzur	775	No. 23 on Dillmann's list B and no. 18 on list C. Reigned for half a day.
	Dedem Almaz Sagad	775–780	No. 24 on Dillmann's list B.
	Udedem / Wudemdem	780–790	No. 25 on Dillmann's list B.
	Dimawudem Wedem Asfare	790–820 c. 792–822	No. 26 on Dillmann's list B. Lived for 150 years according to the traditional lists.
	Remha Armah II	820–825	No. 27 on Dillmann's list B and no. 28 on list C. Last ruler before the Zagwe dynasty according to list C.
	Degna Djan	825–845	No. 28 on Dillmann's list B. Reigned for 19 years and 10 months.
	Dagajan / Geda Djan	845	No. 29 on Dillmann's list B. Reigned for 10 months.
	Gudit Esato	845–885	A queen who, according to tradition, sacked Aksum and was responsible for the end of the kingdom. Some lists place her after Dil Na'od, therefore marking the end of the Axumite line, while other lists place her before him and present her reign as an interruption to the line before it was restored after her death. No. 21 on Dillmann's list C. Ruled after Dil Na'od on list B and after Madai on list C.
	Dagnajan Anabasa Udem	885–905	No. 30 on Dillmann's list B and no. 22 on list C.
	Dil Na'od	905–915	Most sources consider this king to be last to rule the Axumite kingdom. He was the younger of son of Degna Djan and brother of Anbasa Wedem. Had a short reign of around 10 years. One tradition recorded by James Bruce states he was an infant when Gudit killed the princes imprisoned at Debre Damo and had to be taken out of the kingdom by nobles to save his life. No. 31 on Dillmann's list B and no. 19 on list C. Last ruler before the Zagwe dynasty according to list B.
	Madai'		No. 20 on Dillmann's list C.