Development of Classical States and Empires

Differences of Africas civilizations a. Small regions of Mediterranean culture in N. and S. extremes, spacious deserts (Sahara, Kalahari), larger regions of savanna grasslands, tropical pelting forest in continents center, highlands + mountains in E. Africa iii. One clearive environmental feature bisected by equator = intimately tropical of the foundings three supercontinents a. Persistent warm temp. = rapid decomposition ot vege mesa matter (humus) = poorer and less fertile soils and less ample agriculture than in to a greater extent emperate Eurasia + spawned disease-carrying insects/parasites v. Feature proximity to Eurasia a. Allowed parts of Africa to interact w/ Eurasiatic civilizations b. N.Africa incorporated into Roman Empire, produced wheat/olives w/slave labor, Christianity spread astray famous martyrs c. Saint Augustine theologian d. Christian faith found more permanent foothold in present-day Ethiopia v. Arabia another point of assemble w/larger world v. Domestic ated camel = nomadic pastoral style of life later, made trans-Saharan commerce possible (linked W. Africa 0 Med. Civilizations) vii. Over centuries, E. African coast = port of call for Egyptian, Roman, Arab merchants = became integral part of Indian oceanic trading networks viii. External connections + internal development of African societies generated patterns of change during mere era A.Geez language used court, in t lets, for commerce indite in script derived from S. Arabia c. Measure of ctrl over aroundly Agaw-speaking ppl of country thru loose administrative structure tribute payments d. Romans P Axum third major empire later on own and Persian v. Introduced to Christianity thru connections to violent Sea trade + Roman world (Egypt) v. King Ezana monarch of fourth century (when Christianity was introduced), adopted Christianity (same time as Constantine in Roman) v. Mounted campaign of imperial expansion across Red Sea 0 Yemen in S. Arabia vii. Decline environmental c hanges (soil exhaustion, erosion, deforestation brought astir(predicate) intensive farming) viii.Rise of Islam 0 altered trade routes, diminished revenue on hand(predicate) to Axumite state, emerged Christian church (present-day Ethiopia) x. Meroe + Axum paralleled on wee scale major features of spotless civ. Of Eurasia long-distance trading connections, urban centers, change states, complex societies, monumental architecture, written language, imperial ambitions, direct contact w/Med. civilizations II. Along the Niger River Cities without States Urbanization in kernel stretches of Niger R. in W. Africa Growing s of ppl from S. Sahara into fertile floodplain of middle Niger in search of access to water w/domesticated cattle, sheep, goats, country 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 specialise settlements surrounding a larger central town Earliest + most prestigious specialized occupation = iron smithing Roderick McIntosh archeologist, leading fgure in shot 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 conclusion Growing network of indigenous W.African commerce Middle Niger flood-plain supported fertile agriculture and had clay for pottery, lacked stone, iron, ore, salt, fuel Ghana, Mali, Songhai W. Africa Ill. South of the Equator The World of Bantu Africa i. about significant development involved accelerating movement of Bantu-speaking ppls into enormous subcontinent i. edible bean from homeland region (present-day SE. Nigeria + Cameroons) iii. Bantu expansion slow movement of peoples brought to Africa south-central of equator measure of cultural and linguistic commonality , marking it as a distinct 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 infectious diseases (to which foraging people had little immunity) c. Iron, tools/weapons v. Kalahari regions of SW. Africa and few 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, unhinged game, elephant products, animal skins, medicinal barks and plants vii. Adopted Bantu languages viii. In drier env