History of Africa Essay

The nature of the historical evidence has already become one of the most widely discussed issues in the contemporary historic and history related sciences. This research is setting an aim to investigate the different periods of African history, its connection with the Asia, and development of different cultures (Carfagen, Kush, Axum & Great Zimbabwe in particular). With the help the different methodologies (mainly qualitative and quantitative evaluation approach would be used in this research), the academic literature review, discussion and analysis there would be revealed the important periods of African history and the impact they provided on the whole continent
Kush and Axum Kingdoms, Their Impact in Linkage Asia to the West?
Kush (sometimes referred to as Meroл kingdom) was an ancient kingdom that was located in the north part of contemporary Republic of Sudan. It was formed nearly 1070. The first communities were found in Nubia approximately 3100-2890 BC. Ancient Egypt strongly impacted the formation of Kush, but they won independence nearly at 780 — 755 BC. Speaking about the development and impact of Kush civilization on African history it should be noted that it is still poorly investigated and lacks information (in particular they invented their own writing system based on Egyptian, but it still remain undecrypted). There could hardly found evidence about the impact this culture had on connections between the Asia and West, as it developed quite independently and did not had a significant impact on any other African cultures. Thus it would be essential to suppose that it had almost no impact on the development the connections between the East and the West. They traded with the Greek merchants and that is probably the major connection they had to the Western civilization. In 350 AD it was captured by Axum kingdom.
In the 3rd – 4th centuries AD Axum raised and dominated in the North-East Africa as well as on the Red Sea. In the 4th century there was started a competition with Byzantine Empire.

Under the rule of King Ezana Axum was a vast territory stretched along the Red Sea and part of Yemen also belonged to it. It was located on major trade routes from Egypt, Byzantine Empire, Syria, Iran, Iraq, India and China. Trading actively developed in Axum. The major interests were slaves, gold, ivory, aroma oils, emeralds, and African animals and leather. It should be noted that when the Islam was born Axum actively participated in protection the first Muslims. Muhammad sent to Axum embassy, ​​seeking for support and protection from the local king. Being highly oppressed some of them moved to Axum and found their not only a shelter, but support.
These two important facts – competition with Byzantine Empire and protection of the first Muslims gave a significant push to establishing linkage between the West and the East, especially if we take into consideration the fact that the major trading roots from the East to the West were crossing in Axum
The Carthaginians – Africans, Semites or mercenaries?
Carthage could hardly be referred to as the cradle of the African culture as it was founded by Phoenician Immigrants at 814 BC. These first Phoenicians arrived from the city Tyre and later established hegemony all over the Northern Africa, what it interesting only on the territories, which were close to the sea shores: “It is now thought that Carthage might have actually been established to act as a larger civic centre for other smaller Phoenician colonies in the region. It certainly grew quickly. Although archaeologists are yet to locate any of the important public buildings or harbours from that early period, current evidence indicates that the littoral plain began to fill up with a densely packed network of dwellings made of sun-dried bricks laid out on streets with wells, gardens and squares, all situated on a fairly regular plan that ran parallel to the shoreline.” It would be important to note that as the settlement was founded by the immigrants, thus it could not referred as purely African, as the founders were not born in Africa and that is the settlement of the nation, which was finally formed in East Asia. That is why the Carthaginians could hardly be referred as the Africans, as they have arrived there, when the African nationalities were actually formed
It should be important to note that the Phoenician nation has never performed as mercenaries, as their major business was dealing with the merchant operations and became very successful in this area. It should be noted that even Carthage was highly developed and gave birth to such outstanding people as Hannibal; they have never had strong regular army and paid the military mercenaries to protect their rich city, which developed very quickly and required quite a big army to protect the merchants from the neighbors who wanted to capture this prosperous land. The Carthaginian also developed manufacturing: “By the mid-seventh century BC Carthage had become a major manufacturer itself through the establishment of an industrial area just outside the city walls, with potter’s kilns and workshops for purple dye production and metalworking. Carthage now became a major manufacturer of terracotta figurines, masks, jewellery, delicately carved ivories and decorated ostrich eggs, which were then exported throughout the western Phoenician colonies.” And this also made them to protect themselves and hire those who were ready to fight for Carthage. That is why we can not refer to Carthaginians as the mercenaries, as they hired such people themselves for the protection, but never got involved in military activity in mass, as their major occupation was merchant.
Probably to call the Carthaginians Semites would be not purely the right thing. But the language they invented and their cultural heritage are very close to the Semites. They lived close to the Ancient Jews and actually appeared in many Biblical stories. That is why if we take into consideration the roots of the Carthaginians it would be proper to call them the Semites rather than Africans, as even they mixed a lot with the different other nations they have never lost their national identity and their cultural roots were highly honored, even they became an independent state on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. Their culture and heritage left after him has more close connection to the land they came from (the Semite land actually) than to the land they dwelled in for a long time, forming the new state and prosperous nation. Personally I support the vision to refer Carthaginians more like Semite than African.

Great Zimbabwe – who built it?
Great Zimbabwe is the name given to the stone ruins of an ancient South African city, located Zimbabwe.

It is considered that Great Zimbabwe was the major cultural and spiritual city of the Ancient nation Shona (they belonged to Bantu). The city was founded approx. 1130 AD and existed during the period last approximately two or three centuries. The investigators, researching this period in African history came to the conclusion that the city was the capital of the Ancient African Kingdom – the Kingdom of Zimbabwe. This empire stretched upon the territory, which is currently, located within the boundaries of the contemporary countries Zimbabwe (which takes its name from the Ancient State and the city itself) and Mozambique. They traded with the other countries, which were located nearby and used ports (one of the best known is Sofala in the south of the Zambezi delta) to transfer the goods. The city was actually divided into two districts. The vast majority of the city dwellers (there were at least ten thousand people) lived in thatched huts; and the local nobility was living in the very special areas, which were separated from the rest of the city with some kind fence. Most of the architectural structures, which were erected in the Great Zimbabwe are the stone towers, monoliths and altars. That proves the hypothesis about sanctity of the sanctity of the city as they were designed for praying: “Similarly, one n’anga (traditional healer) and dancer who regularly performed for tourists within the ruins, described Great Zimbabwe as a place where people used to come to be healed”. The word “Zimbabwe” in addition to the basic meaning has the following one, which could be translated as the “Stone Houses”, and also “the house of worship.” Basically there prayed to the gods, who were “responsible” for the rain, and that is why these gods determined the good harvest. The chief god of the local tribe was so called the creator – Mwari, but this idea is found doubtful by historians: “The idea that Great Zimbabwe was once a previous centre for the cult Mwari has been dismissed by some academic historians. Yet this view is very much alive and gaining ground across Zimbabwe today. Local actors draw upon and engage with wider discourses on Great Zimbabwe’s sacredness and national significance in a politicized manner, deploying them in claims and disputes. Therefore, most members of the Mugabe and”. Mbire tribe also worshiped mbondoro – the spirits of the former dead monarchs. In the Great Zimbabwe Shona people lived until the beginning of the 19th century.

In 1928-1929 the ruins of Great Zimbabwe found and investigated by British archaeologist Gertrude Caton – Thompson, who worked in Africa for many years and in particular investigated the city. She claimed that the ruins have directly African origin. Previously, many researchers believed that the Africans, who were the majority on the continent, could not create such a magnificent structure, so the archaeologist John T. Bent claimed that the city built by the Phoenicians or even the Arabs and later captured by the Africans.
Thus it would be important to noted that the supportive evidence is for the African roots of the architects, who created the city, but still the question would require more investigation