Alwa
Alwa was one of the three Nubian kingdoms that emerged following the decline of Meroe in the fourth century CE, alongside Nobatia and Makouria. Situated in the fertile valleys between the Blue and White Niles, Alwa's territory spanned much of present-day central Sudan, extending from Meroe to the Gezira and Butana regions, and reaching towards the Red Sea. The kingdom's capital was Soba, located near modern Khartoum, and it became a thriving multicultural center due to its strategic position along major trade routes. Historical references to Alwa date back to the writings of Pliny the Elder and the stele of Axumite King Ezana, which highlighted its significance and interactions with neighboring powers. By the sixth century, Alwa had established itself as a Christian kingdom, notably influenced by the Monophysite sect after Longinus's conversion efforts around 580 CE. This conversion was not only a religious transformation but also tied to political rivalries among local rulers. Alwa remained an independent kingdom for nearly a millennium and served as the final Christian stronghold against the spread of Islam in the region until the early sixteenth century CE.
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Alwa
Also known as: Alodia.
Date: c. 400-700 c.e.
Locale: Upper Nubia
Alwa
After the fourth century c.e. collapse of Meroe, three Nubian kingdoms emerged: Nobatia in the north, Makouria, and Alwa in the south. Alwa was located in the fertile valleys of the Blue and White Niles. Boundaries, although undefined, extended from Meroe south to the Gezira and Butana regions and east to the Red Sea. The kingdom occupied most of modern central Sudan. At the crossroads of major trade routes, it was a prosperous multicultural commercial center. The capital, Soba, was located near modern Khartoum.
Pliny the Elder’s Historian naturalis (77 c.e.; The Historie of the World, 1601; better known as Natural History) mentions Alwa along with other Meroitic cities. Alwa appears again circa 350 c.e. on Axumite King Ezana’s stele, which also describes the aggressive Noba, former subjects of Meroe. Although when coalescence into an independent state took place is unclear, Noba groups later united with others to form the kingdom of Alwa.
Alwa’s emergence as a Christian kingdom was recorded in the sixth century Ecclesiastical History of John of Ephesus (fragmentary work, part 3 has been translated as The Third Part of the Ecclesiastical History of John, Bishop of Ephesus, 1860). It provides some of the first reliable Nubian information since the time of Kush. Missionary activity and conversions were religious and political: Rival rulers adopted rival Christian sects. Longinus converted Alwa to the Monophysite (Coptic) sect in about 580 c.e. The kingdom maintained its independence until the early sixteenth century c.e. After one thousand years, it was the last Christian barrier to Islamic expansion in the Sudan.
Bibliography
Shinnie, P. L. Ancient Nubia. New York: Kegan Paul International, 1996.
Zarroug, Mohi el-Din Abdalla. The Kingdom of Alwa. Calgary, Alberta: University of Calgary Press, 1991.