The Abyssinians: Ethiopian playwright Banna Desta releases audio drama set in the Aksumite Empire

A compelling new audio drama shines a spotlight on Ethiopia's ancient Aksumite Empire.

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"As well as wanting the audience to be entertained - because the play is good fun - I wanted to add another dimension to people's understanding of Africa," Desta tells the BBC.

"I wanted to write about a time when the continent wasn't afflicted by colonialism and there were thriving societies," she says.

The Abyssinians is set in the 5th Century in the Aksumite Empire, also known as the Kingdom of Aksum.

Aksum was a wealthy and influential monarchy that at its height spanned what is now northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, Sudan, southern Saudi Arabia and western Yemen. It lasted almost 1,000 years, from approximately 100BC to AD960.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c0lg6151p32o

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