Kushite civilization reached its peak in the first century BC.Soon it feel due to both external and internal factors. The stores of iron and other metals lessened, and the overgrasing of cattle caused a deterioration of farmland. Another powerful trading center Aksum (located in modern day Eritrea), began compeating with Kush. Soon trade routes were bypassing Merö for aksum. After Aksum had decimated Kush econimically, the Aksumite leader King Ezana sent an invading army and conqured the once powerful Kush.