Nobatae
The Nobatae were a nomadic people who settled in Nubia, particularly during the decline of the Meroitic Kingdom, as competition for trade with Rome intensified, notably with the rival kingdom of Axum. They may have roots linked to a southern tribal society known as the Noba. Alongside another group known as the Blemmyes, the Nobatae contributed to the cultural landscape identified by archaeologists as the Ballana culture, named after a significant royal cemetery site. Throughout their history, the Nobatae engaged in conflict with the Blemmyes, but at times also collaborated against external pressures, such as the attempts by Christian Egypt to suppress their traditional religious practices.
By the sixth century CE, the Nobatae established themselves as the Kingdom of Nobatia, marked by notable changes in burial practices, which shifted from pyramid tombs to large earthen mounds called tumuli. These tombs contained rich grave goods and offered insights into their interactions with Roman Egypt, evidenced by imported artifacts. Nobatia formally embraced Christianity around 543 CE, following the conversion of its king, and later united with the neighboring kingdom of Makouria, further shaping the historical narrative of the region. This transformation reflects the dynamic interplay of cultural traditions and external influences in Nubia's history.
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Nobatae
Related civilizations: Noba, Blemmye.
Also known as: Nobadae.
Date: 500-700 c.e.
Locale: Nubian region of the Upper Nile (present-day Republic of Sudan), northeast Africa
Nobatae
The once-powerful kingdom of Meroe began to decline as competition for Roman trade gradually increased with the rival kingdom of Axum in northern Ethiopia. Nomadic people from the west, the Nobatae (nuh-bah-TAH-ay), had gradually moved into the region. They may have been related to a southern tribal society known as the Noba. From the eastern desert came the Blemmyes (Beja), who had been persistently raiding Roman garrisons in Nubia. Together, the Nobatae and the Blemmyes formed what archaeologists call the Ballana culture, named after the site of an important royal cemetery.
These two Nubian peoples were often at war with one another. For a period in the fifth century c.e., the Nobatae and the Blemmyes found a common cause against attempts by a Christian Egypt to suppress the cult of Isis and convert their temples to churches. However, under the leadership of King Silko, the Nobatae eventually claimed victory over the Blemmye people in the sixth century c.e. A carved representation of Silko on the walls of the temple of Kalabsha shows him being crowned with a headdress bearing Egyptian symbols. Similar crowns unearthed in royal burial sites suggest that the Ballana people still adhered to some of the ancient traditions of Meroe. The architectural traditions of the region had changed, however, and large mound graves, or tumuli, had replaced the pyramid tombs of Meroitic rulers.
The tumuli at Ballana and Qustul, on opposite sides of the Nile near Faras, consist of enormous earthen domes, some measuring more than 200 feet (60 meters) in diameter. The principal royal figure in each tumulus wore an elaborate silver crown and was placed on a wooden bed surrounded by weapons, jewelry, cooking utensils, silver and bronze vessels, and furniture. Within the many brick chambers of the tombs were the bodies of sacrificed soldiers, horses and their grooms, camels, sheep, donkeys, and dogs. Trade with Roman Egypt is evidenced by the number of imported objects such as bronze lamps, glassware, and pottery found in the graves. Although large-scale sculpture was absent by this time, examples of silversmithing, leatherwork, and ivory-inlay work testify to the skills of the local artisans.
By the sixth century c.e., Nubia had become three distinct kingdoms, with the territory of the Nobatae emerging as the kingdom of Nobatia. To its south lay the kingdoms of Makouria and Alwa. Nubia formally adopted Christianity in 543 c.e. with the conversion of the king of Nobatia. Sometime between 650 and 710 c.e., Makouria and Nobatia were united.
Bibliography
Adams, William L. Nubia: Corridor to Africa. London: Penguin Books, 1977.
Africa in Antiquity: The Arts of Ancient Nubia and the Sudan. New York: The Brooklyn Museum, 1978.
Taylor, John. Egypt and Nubia. London: British Museum Press, 1991.
Trigger, Bruce G. History and Settlement in Lower Nubia. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1965.