When the Kingdom of Aksum was first formed, there were several kingdoms that made their wealth from trade, kingdoms like Kush. Even though Aksum is considered to be the first genuine trading nation. Trade not only was a major part of the lives of the Aksumite people, it is defined as what made them the trading staple they're known as today. them. One of the secrets to their success was a mixture of timing and location. Around 100 CE a new sailing technique emerged that used seasonal winds to quickly sail across the Red and Arabian Seas, increasing the amount of trade that passed through that region.
Aksum, from there on the Red Sea, was able to dominate the market on international trade. A main question is how? Well, Aksum was situated in the middle of the expansive trade networks that ran between India and the Mediterranean, and dealt in products that people at the time could want. Ivory and gold from Africa was exchanged for spices and jewels from India and wine and olive oil from Rome. Actually products that passed through Aksum could have made it as far west as Britain and as far east as China and Japan. The Aksumites themselves grew wheat and barley, which were major trade items as well.