The Forgotten Kingdoms of Africa (Part 1): The Empire of Axum and the Kingdom of Ghana
Source: http://atlantablackstar.com/
So far, Europeans have thought that they were the center of civilization, while other nations, such as Africa, were considered barbarians. Indirectly, there is a stigma that Africa can know technology and science after the arrival of white people on the black continent. Long before the arrival of Europeans in Africa, various civilizations had taken place. Not only in Egypt but in various other areas in Africa. The following will present the seven most famous Ancient Kingdoms in Africa:
1. The Axum Empire
The Axum Empire's military, trade and strength were paramount in what is now Eritrea and northern Ethiopia in AD 100-940.
At its peak, the Axum Empire had been a four superpower alongside the Persians, Romans, and Chinese of its time. The Axum Empire controlled the territories of Northern Ethiopia, Eritrea, northern Sudan, southern Egypt, Djibouti, western Yemen, and southern Saudi Arabia. The total area of this empire reached 1.25 million km (equivalent to half the size of India). The trade activities of the Axum Empire had reached far into the eastern regions, namely China and India.
Tower of the Axum Empire's Relics
2. Kingdom
Ghana
This kingdom was centered on what is now Senegal and Mauritania. The influence of the Kingdom of Ghana dominated in West Africa from 750-1078M. The nations in the North African region call this kingdom the "Golden Land". Ghana can be said to have had a neat and orderly system of administrative methods, a large military force, and was famous for its monopoly on gold mining.
Territory of the Kingdom of Ghana
Soninke is the king who founded the Kingdom of Ghana. Even though he never fully embraced Islam, good relations with Islamic traders were maintained. The wealth of the Kingdom of Ghana comes from gold mines and uses camels as a mode of transportation. Al-Hamdani, an Arabic writer said that this Kingdom has the richest gold mine in the world. Ghana is also a great military power, the king has had 200,000 warriors and 40,000 archers.
Gold Mask Relics of the Kingdom of Ghana
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