Aksum is of the greatest empires of all time, but why is it so little known about in the West? Would there have been Islam without Aksum's Christianity? Is the oldest complete and surviving Christian gospel in the world really Ethiopian? 

We talk to globetrotting archaeologist Dr Jacke Philips about her Aksum obsession and answer listener questions.

Check out the CTDEA WEBSITE for articles, episode transcripts and news. You'll also be able to get in touch with questions and comments which we'll address in our next episode. Follow us @CTDEApod on Twitter.

Axum book recommendations:

1. Niall Finneran, The Archaeology of Ethiopia

2. David Philipson, Foundations of an African Civilisation

3. Stuart Munro-Hay, Aksum: An African Civilisation of Late Antiquity