Economics is sometimes referred to as the dismal science because:

the aksumite empire was an ancient kingdom located in what is now northern ethiopia from the period of 100 ad to 940 ad. its capital was the city of aksum. the kingdom established itself as one of the 4 great powers at its time, along with persia, rome, and china.

the kingdom was rich in goods like gold, iron, and salt. it established strong commercial ties with the regions governed by rome, egypt, and persia (arabia). aksum was a key location in this commercial network. trade was also facilitated with the introduction of the aksumite currency.