Production of aromatic polyamide

A process for producing an aromatic polyamide which comprises: (a) a dicarboxylic acid component which consists of 30-100 mol % of terephthalic acid and optionally 0-70 mol % of at least one dicarboxylic acid other than terephthalic acid, and (b) a diamine component which consists of 50-100 mol % of an aliphatic alkylenediamine of 4-25 carbons and optionally 0-50 mol % of at least one alicyclic diamine of 3-25 carbons, said process comprising a first step of performing melt reaction of said dicarboxylic acid with said diamine, thereby giving a low molecular weight condensate having an intrinsic viscosity [ eta ] of 0.05-0.6 dl/g, a second step of subjecting it to solid phase polymerization, thereby giving an aromatic polyamide precursor having an intrinsic viscosity [ eta ] of 0.5-1.0 dl/g, and a third step of subjecting it to melt polymerization, thereby giving an aromatic polyamide having a desired intrinsic viscosity [ eta ] of 0.8-2.5 dl/g. This process permits the industrial production of high molecular weight aromatic polyamides in an economical and efficient manner.