AD 1-800

During this period most people in eastern Africa lived in small, scattered communities, hunting and gathering food, herding cattle or farming crops. At the start of the period most people did not use written language, so what we know of them comes from examining archaeological remains and from studying the culture and language of their descendants.

To the south, in the area of modern Ethiopia, the kingdom of Aksum developed and flourished. It grew wealthy and powerful from trade, due to its position on the trade route between the Roman Empire and India. In the 4th century AD, Aksum appears to have expanded its territory westwards by defeating the Nubian kingdom of Kush.

The major development to affect eastern Africa was that of iron-working. Although traditional materials were still used, iron tools and weapons revolutionised life. The new technology probably contributed to the building of larger communities, based around iron production, and to the development of social hierarchy. It also possibly caused deforestation, as the furnaces needed fuel. Iron was such a significant introduction that this period is part of the era known as the ‘Early Iron Age’.