History of Africa

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 know...

21 Okt 202428min

Throughout the early middle ages, Kilwa remained a small settlement, laying in the shadow of the much greater city of Mogadishu.

7 Okt 202417min

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 ...

23 Sep 202427min

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.

9 Sep 202420min

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 ...

19 Aug 202421min

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 ha...

17 Juni 202423min

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 th...

3 Juni 202425min

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 standa...

20 Maj 202428min