Adulis: Literature Review and Theoretical Background Chapter 2: is from a doctoral dissertation analyzing the political economy of the ancient Red Sea port city of Adulis in the Northern Horn of Africa between 1000 BCE and 700 ACE. The research directly challenges the conventional interpretation that Adulis functioned simply as a periphery or trading post for the Aksumite empire, arguing instead that Adulis was a wealthy, independent center within its own right. To support this claim, the author uses anthropological archaeology, employing energetics analysis of architecture (labor and time costs calculated from 3D models of built forms) to assess the city's internal wealth and social stratification. Findings suggest that Adulis’s significant position in antiquity was founded on its strategic location and its established role in crucial interregional trades, notably the exchange of aromatics and war elephants. The methodology combines archaeological fieldwork with textual data and ethnohistory to build a robust case study that refutes traditional center-periphery models. Ultimately, the dissertation seeks to advance the study of African history by focusing on local complexities of power and economic units, aligning with the perspective that W.E.B. Du Bois advocated for the study of long-term Afro-European relations and mutual respect.Referenceshttps://www.adulites.com/https://scholarworks.umass.edu/entities/publication/6c43531e-c4e4-49d3-9a9b-ed7063f13765#ForYou #Ad #Eritrea #AfricanHistory #AncientAfrica #EsatAfrica #hornofafrica