Nobatia: Map & History
Nobatia or Nobadia was a late antique kingdom in Lower Nubia, modern day southern Egypt.
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Nobatia or Nobadia was a late antique kingdom in Lower Nubia, modern day southern Egypt. Together with the two other Coptic-Nubian kingdoms, Makuria and Alodia, it succeeded the kingdom of Kush. After its establishment in around 400, Nobadia gradually expanded by defeating the Blemmyes in the north and incorporating the territory between the second and third Nile cataract in the south. In 543, it converted to Coptic Christianity. It would then be annexed by Makuria, under unknown circumstances, during the 7th century.
Nobatia in Depth
History
The kingdom of Nobatia had been founded in the former Meroitic province of Akine, which comprised large parts of Lower Nubia and is speculated to have been autonomous already before the ultimate fall of the Kingdom of Kush in the mid 4th century.
While the Nobatae had been invited into the region from the Western Desert by the Roman Emperor Diocletian in 297 AD, their kingdom only became tangible around 400 AD. Early Nobatia is quite likely the same civilization that is known to archeologists as the Ballana culture.
Eventually, the Nobatae were successful in defeating the Blemmyes, and an inscription by Silko, "Basiliskos" of the Nobatae, claims to have driven the Blemmyes into the Eastern Desert.
Military culture
Nothing is known about the organization of the Nobatian army. Many of the weapons employed by the Nobatians had come from the Meroitic period.
Archaeology from the pagan period confirms the relevance archery had for the Nubians and therefore also the Nobatians. The slightly reflexed longsbows, which are attested for Kushite mercenaries since the Middle Kingdom, were replaced by reflex composite bows during the Meroitic or post-Meroitic period, measuring around one meter and originally designed to be shot from horseback. One simple wooden self bow is known from an early Nobadian burial in Qustul. The Nobadians shot barbed and possibly poisoned arrows of around 50 cm length. To store the arrows, they used quivers made of tanned leather from long-necked animals such as goats or gazelles.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Nobatia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Nobatia: Key Facts
| Capital | Faras |
|---|---|
| Religion | Oriental Orthodox churches |
| Form of government | monarchy |
| Founded | 400 CE |
| Dissolved | 650 CE |
Succeeded by
Facts from Wikidata Q568523 (CC0).
Nobatia Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Nobatia appears, with the other states of the time.
Nobatia Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 147,534 km² in 651 CE.
Nobatia: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Nobatia exist?
Nobatia is dated to 347 CE – 655 CE, in the Classical Antiquity era.
What was the capital of Nobatia?
The capital of Nobatia was Pachoras.
How large was Nobatia at its peak?
At its peak in 651 AD Nobatia covered about 147,534 km².
How did the map of Nobatia change over time?
Nobatia appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 400 CE to 600 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.