{"podcast":{"title":"Ethiopia's Ancient Empire: Africa's Hidden Superpower — Fexingo History","slug":"ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654","podcast_index_feed_id":7829654,"rss_url":"https://feeds.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire.xml","website_url":"https://www.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/","image_url":"https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/cover.png","author":"Fexingo","episode_count":166,"summary":"Beneath the scorching highlands of the Horn of Africa lies the legacy of a civilization that rivaled Rome and Persia: the Aksumite Empire. This show, hosted by Lucas and Luna, journeys from the pre-Aksumite kingdom of D'mt to the medieval Zagwe dynasty, uncovering how Ethiopia became a crucible of faith, trade, and power. Explore the stelae of Aksum, the nine saints who brought Christianity, the epic campaigns of Emperor Kaleb against the Himyarite kingdom, and the isolation that forged a unique Christian tradition. Delve into the rock-hewn churches of Lalibela—a 'New Jerusalem' carved from volcanic tufa—and the stories of the Solomonic dynasty that claimed descent from the Queen of Sheba. We examine the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church's ancient texts, the legend of the Ark of the Covenant at Axum, and the kingdom's defiance against Islamic expansion. From the Aksumite gold trade to the architectural marvels of Gondar, this podcast unpacks why Ethiopia remained an African superpower while others crumbled. How did this ancient empire preserve its sovereignty, its script, and its soul through centuries of change? Join us to unearth a hidden superpower that shaped the Red Sea worl…","last_synced_at":"2026-07-19T00:19:03.077389+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654"},"episode":{"title":"Susenyos and the Jesuit Convert That Nearly Split Ethiopia","slug":"susenyos-and-the-jesuit-convert-that-nearly-split-ethiopia","published_at":"2026-06-18T12:35:36+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/susenyos-and-the-jesuit-convert-that-nearly-split-ethiopia","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654","url":"https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0107.mp3","audio_url":"https://audio.fexingo.com/history/ethiopias-ancient-empire/episode-0107.mp3","summary":"In the early 1600s, Emperor Susenyos made a choice that nearly tore Ethiopia apart. After decades of internal conflict and pressure from Portuguese-backed Jesuit missionaries, he became the first—and only—Solomonic emperor to publicly convert to Catholicism. This episode traces Susenyos's rise amid the wars of the Zemene Mesafint, his alliance with the Jesuit Pedro Páez, the theological clashes between Miaphysite Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism at the 1626 Council of Derssanié, and the violent backlash that erupted when he ordered mass conversion. We explore the role of his son Fasilides, who would later expel the Jesuits and restore Ethiopian Orthodoxy, and the enduring impact on national identity. Key figures include Emperor Susenyos, Pedro Páez, Abuna Simon, and the rebel leader Za-Sellase. This is a story of faith, power, and a fragile African empire resisting European religious domination. #Susenyos #EthiopianEmpire #Jesuits #PedroPáez #CouncilOfDerssanié #Miaphysitism #Catholicism #EthiopianOrthodox #Fasilides #Gondar #ZemeneMesafint #Gojjam #AbunaSimon #Za-Sellase #EastAfrica #Missionaries #History #FexingoHistory Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo","meta_description":"In the early 1600s, Emperor Susenyos made a choice that nearly tore Ethiopia apart. After decades of internal conflict and pressure from Portuguese-backed…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":260,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/episodes/susenyos-and-the-jesuit-convert-that-nearly-split-ethiopia/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/ethiopia-s-ancient-empire-africa-s-hidden-superpower-fexingo-history-7829654/susenyos-and-the-jesuit-convert-that-nearly-split-ethiopia.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}