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250
Djenne-Djeno
Some of the oldest objects found in Djenne-Djeno was dated from 250 B.C. making Djenne-Djeno the oldest known city in Africa south of the Sahara. The city was abandoned sometime after A.D. 1400. -
325
Aksum
Between 325 A.D. and 360 A.D. the kingdom of Aksum reached its height when and exceptionally strong ruler, Ezana occupied the throne. He was determined to establish and expand his authority, Ezana first conquered the part of the Arabian peninsula that is now Yemen. -
330
Kush
In 330 A.D. Ezana turned his attention to Kush, whihc already begun to decline. -
350
Kushites
In 350 A.D. Ezana conquered the Kushites and burned Meroe to the ground.
Quote: "I carried war against [them] when they had rebelled...I burnt their towns of stone and their towns of straw. At the same time, my men plundered [stole] their grain, their bronze, their iron and their copper, destroyed the idols in their homes, their stocks of corn and of cotton; and they threw themselves into the river." ~ King ezana of Aksum -
500
Artifacts
In 500 B.C. West African cultures had been from artifacts such as pottery, charcoal, and slag. By dating these artifacts, scientists can piece together life in West Africa. -
500
Earliest Cultures
From 500 B.C. to A.D. 200 West Africa's earliest known culture was that of the Nok people. There name came from the village where the first artifacts from their culture were discovered. Nok Artifacts have been foundin an area stretching for 300 miles between the Niger and Benue rivers. -
550
Cosmas
In 550 A.D. and Egyptian merchant named Cosmas described how Aksumite agents bargained for gold from the people in southern Ethopia. -
Jan 4, 600
Cities
In the region south of the Sahel, most Africans lived in small villages. But, cities began to develop sometime between 600 B.C. and 200 B.C. Most cities were in areas along rivers or oasis. One of the cities was Djenne-Djeno. -
Jan 13, 632
Islamic Invaders
Between 632 A.D. and 750 A.D. Islamic invaders conquered vast territories in the Mediterranean World, spreading their religion as they went. -
Jan 14, 710
Cont, of Invaders
In 710 A.D. the invaders destroyed Adulis. This conquest cut Askum off from the major ports along both the Red Sea and the Mediterranean. -
Jan 7, 1000
Arabs
In 1000 B.C. Arab people crossed the Red Sea into Africa-intermarried with Kushite herders and farmers and passed along there written language. Arabs also shared their skills of working stone and building dams, and aqueducts. -
Jan 6, 1400
Djenne-Djeno Abandoned
The city Djenne-Djeno was found abandoned. At its height, it contain about 50,000 residents. They lived in round reed huts plastered with mud. Later, they built enclosed houses made of mud bricks. They fished in Niger River, herded cattle, and raised rice on the river's fertile. -
Reilgious Beliefs
In 30 A.D. Based on the teachings of Jesus and a belief in one God-Monotheism-Christianity began in Palestine. It spread throughout the Roman Empire and then to Africa, and eventually to Aksum. -
Ages
Also in 500 B.C.-- Unlike cultures to the North, the peoples of Africa south of Sahara seem to have skipped the copper and Bronze Ages and moved directly into the Iron Ages. -
Sahara
From 8000 to 6000 B.C. the Sahara recieved increased rainfall and turned into Savanna but by 6000 B.C. the Sahara began to dry up again. To survive many early farmers moved east into the Nile Valley and south into West Africa. Some settled on the savannas which had the best agricultural land.
