On February 3, I concluded my journey through the early kingdoms and city-states in East, Central, and South Africa. Allow me to share my experiences.

The first location on my excursion was Axum, which reigned over present-day Ethiopia. The city was renowned for trade, making it a wealthy and influential market city on the Ethiopian coast. Through territorial conquest, Axum expanded its authority. In the 4th century BCE, Christianity was introduced. However, Persian domination in Arabia led to Axum's loss of influence, and by the seventh century CE, it had fallen out of favor.

Next, I travelled to Kongo, a location that piqued my interest. Angola, Cabinda, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Gabon are the countries involved. I delved into the history of King Lukeni Iua Nimi, who unified various territories. Though farming and mining contributed to significant population growth, the labor-intensive nature of these industries made it my least favorite location. However, trade was brisk, with gold, copper, iron, pottery, patterned fabrics, salt, and dried river fish on offer. Christianity's arrival, brought by the Portuguese, led to the end of commercial and trading relationships with local rulers.

My most recent stop was Lunda and Luba, located in the savanna of Central Africa. The countries included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, and Zambia. While various African cultures thrived in the region, Bantu was the predominant influence. Small kingdoms were established and strengthened through metalworking and salt trade. Salt was so valuable that it became a form of currency, which was the most fascinating thing I learned in my entire excursion. Agriculture, fishing, mining, and local crafts contributed to its success. Additionally, they traded with Arab, Portuguese, Indian traders, and their African neighbors.