Episodes
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In today's episode, we chart the growth of Kilwa as a major economic center, from its growth as a manufacturer of lime and iron, to its rise as a middleman in the trade of gold from Africa's southern reaches, as well as its blossoming into a maritime power.
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It seems unlikely that he had 75 golden camels, but it's hard to say much else about Prince Ali of Shiraz. This historical figure has semi-historical origins, attested to in a mysterious document known as the "Kilwa Chronicle." In today's episode, we assess various interpretations of the Kilwa Chronicle, as well as the Sultanate's origins.
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Throughout the early middle ages, Kilwa remained a small settlement, laying in the shadow of the much greater city of Mogadishu.
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Hidden in the brackish estuary of the Rufiji River, one of the greatest archaeological finds of the modern era might be waiting: the remains of a still poorly understood ancient trade hub referred to in ancient texts from across the world.
Rhapta, a maritime metropolis, was likely the most influential city of its region, and one which still remains enigmatic.
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In this episode, we explore the origins of farming in East Africa, as well as some of the oldest evidence for long-distance trade reaching the region.
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Despite being the most widely spoken African language on Earth, KiSwahili originates from a people who are shockingly small in number. However, what the Swahili lacked in numbers, they made up for in influence and fascination. Join us for our sixth season, as we dive into the history of the Swahili coast, and the fascinating history of how its residents became adept city-builders, advanced maritime navigators, sly traders, and the masters of many fascinating civilizations. This includes the greatest Swahili civilization of them all, the Sultanate of Kilwa.
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Most histories of the Garamantian kingdom end after its political collapse in the 4th century. However, the archaeological and written record seem to indicate that while the Garamantian kingdom may have died, the civilization that it spawned persisted well into the middle ages.
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Pop histories of the Garamantian civilization often posit that Garama died of thirst: the Garamantes used up the fossil water reserves they had depended on for centuries, sealing the destruction of their advanced irrigation system. However, various pieces of historical evidence cast doubt on this narrative, and the reality is far more complex. Today, we discuss the possibility of rebellions, slave trading, economic decline, and loosening control over their nomadic neighbors as the possible root causes of the rapid changes facing Garamantian society at the end of their civilizational life.
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As trade intensifies across the Sahara, the Garamantes become an ever-wealthier civilization. This episode examines how the growth of the Garamantian kingdom influenced the architecture, living standards, religion, and burial practices of the Garamantes.
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When Garamantian raids and control of trade routes become too much to bear, the Romans do what they do best: invade their neighbors. In this episode, Roman administrator Lucius Balbus leads a series of legions against the Garamantes in battle.
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Horses, carbuncles, gold, salt, and more. What do all these things have in common? They were first traded across the Sahara by the Garamantes. Today's episode discusses the earliest rise of Garamantian trans-Saharan trade, the first documented example of trade across the vast desert.
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Brought to the Sahara following the Persian conquest of Egypt, the spread of a new irrigation technology allowed Garamantian civilization to expand dramatically
The earliest evidence of a unique Garamantian culture comes from the settlement of Zinkekra, located at the top of a rocky plateau near the Wadi al Ajal. However, settlements gradually drifted further down the valley.
The location at the bottom of these valleys allowed new Garamantian settlements to better take advantage of a technology recently brought to North Africa with the Persian conquest of Egypt. Known as Qanats, or Fouggaras in North Africa, this advanced irrigation technology allowed Garamantian settlements to tap into groundwater reserves without the labor intensive practice of extracting water from wells with buckets. Instead, gravity brought water through the slightly inclined channel and delivered it to the irrigated outlet
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Today we begin our journey into the history of the Garamantes, a civilization from the Libyan Sahara. This fascinating civilization transformed the barren wasteland of the Idehan Ubari into an impressive metropolis of late antiquity.
Our current episode examines the prehistory of Libya through close inspection of rock art.
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The Bantu Migration is one of the most important and seminal events in the history of the African continent. But what if this theory of Bantu origins, concocted by a European colonial administrator trying to understand the history of the continent he was colonizing, was entirely off base? What are some of the holes in the theory of Bantu expansion? What are its strengths which have withstood through the criticism? And, with a revised and iterated view of Bantu expansion, how does this theory impact our understanding of the History of Africa.
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Bantu is a term which has become one of the most contentious in the study of African history. The name of a language family stretching across much of the southern half of the African continent, the term has been used in many distinct ways. In anthropology, it has often extended beyond mere linguistics into an idea of a larger shared culture and history across southern and central Africa. In apartheid South Africa, "Bantu" was used as a euphemism for "black" in many of the country's most oppressive apartheid laws. Furthermore, debates around the origins of the original Bantu-speaking peoples and their purported spread throughout the southern half of the continent are a historiographical point of contention. In this episode, we examine the origins of the idea of Bantu languages, as well as different theories on Bantu origins and how they were so successful in spreading across such a vast geographic area.
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In a betrayal of previous commitments to Madagascar, Britain revoked its recognition of Malagasy sovereignty in a deal with France, in exchange for French recognition of a British protectorate over Zanzibar. Soon after this deal, the French invaded Madagascar, landing troops in Mahajanga and Toamasina. The final war to conquer Madagascar had begun. Support the show
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Rainilaiarivony makes a desperate bet to try and repair his nation's floundering economy following the end of the French blockade of Madagascar. His desperate solution: to open Madagascar's long dormant gold mines for business.
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As the French begin their invasion of Madagascar's major ports in 1883, the queen of Madagascar falls deathly ill. In this atmosphere of chaos, the prime minister Rainilaiarivony must mount a desperate attempt to protect Merina sovereignty with the help of an unexpected ally.
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As Malagasy prime minister Rainilaiarivony tries to distance his kingdom from French commercial interests, the French strike back. Eager to avenge his country's recent defeat in Europe, the French head of state becomes increasingly invested in colonial conquest. In an effort to drum up international support, Malagasy diplomats make a trip to London, Paris, and New York City.
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As Rainilaiarivony radically reforms the government, educational system, and economy of the Kingdom of Madagascar, queen Ranavalona II radically reforms its religion when she officially converts the Merina Kingdom to Christianity.
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