Ancient African Civilizations

The history of modern humans began in Africa, which is also home to several remarkable ancient civilizations. Some of these civilizations existed thousands of years ago, while others thrived more recently. They constructed incredible structures that were wonders of the ancient world, many of which still stand today. The prosperity of Africa's ancient civilizations largely depended on trade and the exchange of knowledge. Ultimately, these civilizations came to an end, but they left a lasting legacy on the people they once ruled. Here are eight of Africa's greatest ancient civilizations.

Egypt

Ancient Egypt is arguably the most well-known of Africa's ancient civilizations, beginning around 3400 BCE. Initially, there were two separate kingdoms: Upper Egypt, located in what is now central and southern Egypt along the Nile River, and Lower Egypt, primarily based in the Nile Delta region of present-day northern Egypt. In 3100 BCE, King Menes of Upper Egypt conquered Lower Egypt, successfully uniting the two kingdoms. During the Old Kingdom period (circa 2686 - 2181 BCE), the Egyptians constructed the pyramids for which the civilization is most famous, including the Great Pyramid, which is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

The Kingdom Of Kush

The Kingdom of Kush thrived between approximately 1069 BCE and 350 CE, controlling a vast territory along the Nile River in present-day northern Sudan. It served as an economic hub, engaging in profitable trade of ivory, incense, iron, and gold. The kingdom was both a trading partner and a rival to ancient Egypt to the north. Notably, in the 8th century BCE, the Kushites conquered Egypt and established the 25th Egyptian Dynasty, which ruled Egypt for over a century. The area near the ancient Kushite capital of Meroe is now home to the ruins of more than 200 pyramids, surpassing the number found in all of Egypt.

Punt

There is no definitive consensus on the location of ancient Punt, but most scholars believe it was situated in East Africa, possibly along the Red Sea coast or in present-day northwestern Somalia, Djibouti, and Eritrea. The kingdom is thought to have been established around 2500 BCE. Much of what we know about ancient Punt comes from ancient Egyptian sources, which suggest that the kingdom was rich in resources like ebony, gold, myrrh, and exotic animals such as apes and leopards. Egypt was a major trading partner of Punt, and Punt had a significant cultural and religious influence on ancient Egypt. In fact, the ancient Egyptians believed that Punt was their place of origin, referring to it as "the Land of the Gods."

Carthage

Carthage originated as a city-state in what is now Tunisia around the 8th or 9th century BCE. It was established by Phoenician settlers who migrated to the area from ancient Lebanon. Over time, Carthage developed into a vast seafaring empire, controlling large portions of coastal North Africa, the southern Iberian Peninsula, and numerous Mediterranean islands, including Corsica, Sardinia, and Sicily. At its peak, Carthage had a population of nearly half a million inhabitants. By the mid-3rd century BCE, the Carthaginian Empire entered into conflict with another ancient great power, the Roman Empire, leading to the Punic Wars. These wars concluded in 146 BCE.

Aksum

The Kingdom of Aksum existed from approximately the 4th century BCE to the 10th century CE in what is now Eritrea and Ethiopia. It is believed to be the resting place of the Biblical Ark of the Covenant and the homeland of the Queen of Sheba. By the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE, Aksum had become a trading powerhouse, serving as a vital link for trade between ancient Europe and the Far East. Its most important commodities included gold and ivory. Aksum was one of the first empires to adopt Christianity. However, by the 7th or 8th centuries CE, the empire began to decline, although its religious legacy continues today through the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.

Mali Empire

The Mali Empire emerged in the 13th century CE and lasted until the 16th century CE. Its success was largely due to the vast gold deposits located within its territory, which spanned a large portion of West Africa, from the Atlantic Ocean to the border between present-day Mali and Niger. At one point, the Mali Empire was believed to produce two-thirds of the world's total gold supply. The empire's most renowned ruler, Mansa Musa, who reigned during the early 14th century, was so wealthy that his riches are almost unimaginable by today's standards. Under the Mali Empire, the city of Timbuktu, now in present-day Mali, became a prominent center of learning in the Islamic world.

Songhai Empire

The Songhai Empire was formed in the 15th century. It included some of the territories formerly under the control of the Mali Empire. In fact, the Songhai Empire largely replaced the Mali Empire as the prominent power in the region. At its height, the Songhai Empire was bigger than all of Western Europe. It owed its success to vigorous trade policies and a sophisticated bureaucratic system of government. Like the Mali Empire, the Songhai Empire also controlled Timbuktu at one time, opening many Islamic schools in the city. The Songhai capital, Gao, once boasted a population of 100,000.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe refers to an ancient city located in what is now the country of Zimbabwe, which is named after this historic city. Often called Great Zimbabwe, the city is characterized by its impressive stone walls and various other stone structures. The name "Zimbabwe" comes from the language of the indigenous Shona people, meaning "stone houses."

The city dates back to the 10th century and, between the 13th and 15th centuries, it served as the center of a vast empire that controlled a significant portion of present-day Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. This empire had an economy based on cattle husbandry, crop cultivation, and the trade of gold along the coast of the Indian Ocean.

For reasons that remain unclear, Great Zimbabwe was abandoned in the 15th century. At its peak, the city was home to an estimated 20,000 people.