From a young capital to the old city of Axum, once the centre of an influential State founded prior to 500 BC. It featured in The Periplus in AD 109, a Greek guide to the Red Sea kingdoms (was this the first tourist guide book?). Axum lies close to the Eritrean border and it is here that the Queen of Sheba made her capital. It is said that in the church of St Mary of Zion the Ark of the Covenant resides. All over the city are relics of a glorious past; the Queen of Sheba's bath, royal palaces and the amazing monolithic stelae. Now lying broken on the ground is the largest, some 500 tonnes, which once stood some 33 metres high making it the world's largest. The second largest at 24 metres was stolen by Mussolini, which is due to return to Ethiopia in the very near future. The third largest still stands and even at a 'mere' 23 metres this solid granite stone is impressive. The city of Axum was destroyed in a rebellion by Queen Yodit during which she curtailed the Solomic line by slaughtering all the royal princes.