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Africa is a very significant part of the world. In this continent, as well as around it, were the most well-known great ancient civilizations like Egypt, Mesopotamia, and Babylon. But did you know that there are more influential kingdoms in this continent?
Take the Kingdom of Kush, for example. The kingdom ruled over a significant portion of territory along the river Nile, in what is now known as Sudan. It was a formidable military rival of Egypt, even conquering the country and ruling it for a time. The Kushites adopted the customs of the Egyptians, even building their pyramids. Meroe, the capital of Kush, houses the ruins of more than 200 pyramids. This far outnumbers those that were built in Egypt.
Another famous African civilization is that of Carthage. It was a commercial center situated in North Africa that thrived for more than 500 years. It was located in what is now Tunisia, starting off in around the 9th century B.C. as a small settlement. Eventually, it grew into a great empire that traded in gold, silver, copper, and textiles. The city also had a vast harbor that was capable of docking over 200 ships. Because of that, Carthage was able to reach as far as parts of Spain and the Mediterranean islands. But this expanding influence was a cause for concern for the Romans, which led to the Punic Wars that started in 264 B.C. After these wars ended in 146 B.C., Carthage was almost totally destroyed.
These are just a few of the great empires of Africa that existed in its history. The influence of these ancient civilizations did not only affect the continent, but also other parts of the world. Africa is more than meets the eye – way more than those mainstream perceptions of the continent. The people of Africa have had great contributions to the world.
