Abstract:It is widely assumed by scholars that the Aksumite kingdom's use of elephants was confined to a military context and, in particular, that the Aksumites deployed these animals principally as war engines. However, a critical inspection of the relevant Arab and Byzantine sources reveals that the Aksumites in fact were interested in elephants primarily as symbols of regal display and power. Furthermore, this article argues that it was the large bush elephant, rather than the smaller forest elephant, to which the Aksumites had access, and that this animal played a crucial role in their strategic self-positioning in the late antique ivory trade.

中文翻译：

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阿克苏姆的大象：寻找古代晚期的丛林大象

摘要：学者们普遍认为，阿克苏姆王国对大象的使用仅限于军事背景，特别是阿克苏姆人将这些动物主要用作战争引擎。然而，对相关阿拉伯和拜占庭来源的批判性检查表明，阿克苏姆人实际上对大象感兴趣，主要是作为帝王展示和权力的象征。此外，本文认为 Aksumites 能够接触到的是大型丛林象，而不是较小的森林象，并且这种动物在他们在晚期古董象牙贸易中的战略自我定位中发挥了关键作用。