HISTORY OF ABYSSINIA. 
551 
The faith which they received with enthusiasm, they main- 
tained with firmness; for so early as the time of Justin, about 
the year 525, when it appears that they were absolute masters of 
the Red Sea, we have a well authenticated account of a formidable 
army having been sent over to assist the Christians in Arabia by 
Caleb Negus, or Elisbaas, which proved successful. It was to this 
prince that Nonnosus was sent as embassador by Justin, part of 
whose account is still extant in Photius,* and the Adulitic inscrip- 
tion was also copied at this time by Cosmas. 
" This, and the succeeding reign ofGuebra Maskal, orHellestheus, 
who was cotemporary with Justinian, and to whom the latter sent 
Julianusf as embassador, for the purpose of awing the Persians, and 
gaining a monopoly of the Indian trade, particularly silk, form the 
brightest period of the Abyssinian monarchy, as clearly ascertained 
in history ; but I think we may presume, that it was also powerful 
at the time of the second Adulitic inscription being erected : to 
ascertain the date of this, is therefore of the greatest importance. 
But even computing from the time of the Axum inscription, when 
Aeizana was styled King of the Homerites and of the Sabseans, it will 
give us a space of upwards of two centuries for the duration of the 
superiority of Abyssinia over Arabia, and consequently ofits command 
of the Red Sea, although the Arabian authors allow the Abyssinians 
to have absolutely ruled by their viceroys over Arabia Felix for 
no more than seventy-two years J. Soon after Hellestheus, or in the 
latter part of his reign, their power began to decline in Arabia, 
owing to the desertion of their own troops, who became inde- 
* Biblioth N. 3. pm. 2. &c. f Procopius, C. six. page. 60. 
t Historia Joctanidarum, page 135, 151, and 41. 
rOL. III. K K 
