Development of Classical States and Empires

Differences of Africas civilizations a. Small lands of Mediterranean finishing in N. and S. extremes, large deserts (Sahara, Kalahari), large regions of savanna grasslands, tropical rain timberland in cleans center, highlands + mountains in E. Africa iii. One typical environmental feature bisected by equator = some tropical of the worlds three supercontinents a. Persistent fiery temp. = rapid decomposition ot vege table offspring (humus) = poorer and less fertilizable soils and less fat agriculture than in more emperate Eurasia + spawned disease-carrying insects/parasites v. induce proximity to Eurasia a. Allowed parts of Africa to interact w/Eurasian civilizations b. N.Africa incorporated into Roman Empire, produced drinking straw/olives w/slave labor, Christianity spread wide famous martyrs c. Saint Augustine theologian d. Christian faith found more permanent foothold in present-day Ethiopia v. Arabia other point of contact w/ big world v. Domesticated camel = nom adic unpolished way of life later, made trans-Saharan affair possible (linked W. Africa 0 Med. Civilizations) vii. Over centuries, E. African coast = port of call for Egyptian, Roman, Arab merchants = became inherent part of Indian Ocean handicraft networks viii. External connections + internal development of African societies generated patterns of change during classical era A.Geez language used court, in tgets, for commerce compose in script derived from S. Arabia c. Measure of ctrl everyplace mostly Agaw-speaking ppl of country thru loose administrative structure tribute payments d. Romans P Axum ternary major empire after accept and Persian v. Introduced to Christianity thru connections to carmine Sea hatful + Roman world (Egypt) v. King Ezana sovereign of fourth century (when Christianity was introduced), adopted Christianity (same eon as Constantine in Roman) v. Mounted labour of imperial expansion across Red Sea 0 Yemen in S. Arabia vii. counterbalance envi ronmental changes (soil exhaustion, erosion, deforestation brought about intensive farming) viii.Rise of Islam 0 altered trade routes, lessen revenue available to Axumite state, emerged Christian perform (present-day Ethiopia) x. Meroe + Axum paralleled on smaller scale major features of classical civ. Of Eurasia long-distance trading connections, urban centers, modify states, complex societies, monumental architecture, indite language, imperial ambitions, direct contact w/Med. civilizations II. Along the Niger River Cities without States Urbanization in bosom stretches of Niger R. in W. Africa ontogenesis s of ppl from S. Sahara into fertile floodplain of middle Niger in seem of access to water w/ domestic cattle, sheep, goats, agricultural skills, ironworking tech.Ppl created distinctive city-based civilization Oenne-Jeno) No imperial system No centralized political structure cities w/o citadels Emerged as clusters of economically alter settlements ring a larger central town Earliest + most prestigious specialized occupation = iron smithing Roderick McIntosh archeologist, leading fgure in excavation of Jenne-Jero Villages of otton weavers, potters, leather workers, griots grew around cent. Towns occupational castes (passed Jobs/skills to children, could only marry within own group) Farmers tilled soil, raised animals, specialization in farming fishing, rice cultivation Growing network of indigenous W.African commerce mediate Niger flood-plain supported rich agriculture and had carcass for pottery, lacked stone, iron, ore, salt, fuel Ghana, Mali, Songhai W. Africa Ill. South of the Equator The World of Bantu Africa i. Most significant development knotty accelerating movement of Bantu-speaking ppls into enormous subcontinent i. bean plant from homeland region (present-day SE. Nigeria + Cameroons) iii. Bantu expansion slow movement of peoples brought to Africa south of equator eyeshade of cultural and linguistic commonality, marking it as a di stinct region of the continent A. Cultural Encounters v. Advantages a. as agriculture generated more productive economy 0 larger s to live in smaller area b.Farmers brought both parasitic and pathogenic diseases (to which foraging people had little immunity) c. Iron, tools/weapons v. Kalahari regions of SW. Africa and hardly a(prenominal) places in E. Africa, gathering and hunting urvived (such as San) vi. In rain forest region of Central Africa, foraging Batwa (Pygmy) = forest specialists 0 honey, wild game, elephant products, animal skins, medicinal barks and plants vii. espouse Bantu languages viii. In drier env