Africa has harbored great civilizations that have withstood battles and casualties and have remained powerful during their times. Despite the European perspective of Africa as “The Dark Continent,” African kingdoms and empires have proven their worth through scientific discoveries and extensive trade activities. The Ancient Egyptian civilization, the Axumite Empire, the Kingdom of Mali, the Songhai Empire, the Kingdom of Ghana, and many others are some of the greatest civilizations of Africa, and arguably some of the greatest in history.

1. The Ancient Egyptian Civilization

The accomplishments of the of the ancient Egyptian civilization are undeniably remarkable, and range from agricultural and irrigation systems, trade and construction, to mathematics, and the medicine of science. The Great Sphinx is a symbol of the dominance of the Egyptian civilization, which was pretty lucid, even across the Mediterranean Sea to the Roman Empire. The success of this civilization was based on the fertile floodplain the Nile River provided, thus a majority of the people were involved in farming, which formed the basis of the Egyptian civilization. The Kingdom of Egypt became a reality in 3100 B.C. by Menes, who united upper and lower Egypt. The capital was situated in Memphis, where upper Egypt and lower Egypt met. The end of this empire came during the reign of Cleopatra VII in the Battle of Actium in 31 B.C.

2. The Axumite Empire

The social, economic, and political magnificence of the Axumite Empire was derived from trade through the Port of Adulis and its Christian legacy. The capital of this kingdom, Axum, is now located in northern Ethiopia, southwest of Yeha. This city still remains highly renowned amongst the Ethiopian people, especially followers of the Orthodox Church, as the Arc of the Covenant, brought by Menelik I, the son of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon of Israel. During the fourth century A.D., the Axumite King, King Ezana, accepted Christianity, which became a fundamental value for the Axumite’s trade relations with the Byzantine Empire. In the 11th century, the Axumite Empire was replaced by the Agaw Zagwe Dynasty after the last Axumite King was killed by Yekuno Amlak.

3. The Kingdom of Ghana

The Kingdom of Ghana became a powerful kingdom because of the gold mine sitting under its inhabiting land. The kingdom prospered because of the ongoing trade with Arab travelers in exchange for salt, which was highly valued within the kingdom. The Trans-Saharan trade helped turn Ghana into a land of economic success. The capital, known as Kumbi Saleh, was the major center of trade. Traders used to live in stone houses in a certain section of the capital, where 12 beautiful mosques were built. The end of the Kingdom of Ghana came in 1240 A.D., when it was annexed by the kingdom of Mali.

4. The Kingdom of Mali

The Kingdom of Mali flourished in West Africa along the Niger River. It is highly renowned for its extremely popular trading centers, especially the city of Timbuktu. Timbuktu was renowned all over the world as a center of trade and exchange. The Kingdom of Mali is also attributed with the construction of vast libraries and Islamic universities. It became a center of knowledge. It was at its height during the reign of Mansa Musa. While Mansa Musa was ruling, the land area of Mali more than doubled and trade tripled. Mansa Musa’s fame increased during his pilgrimage to Mecca where he was accompanied by about 60,000 people. During his pilgrimage, he sold gold to European and Asian capitals. The fall of the Mali Empire came in 1545 A.D., when Mansa Mahmud III was defeated by Songhai forces.