The first
centralised African states formed in
Egypt's
Nile River valley around 3000 BC. The only
route from
Egypt to
Sub-Saharan Africa was through a
region known as
Nubia -- prompting the rise of
civilisation along the
trade route there. Indeed, by 2500 BC, several
small kingdoms had appeared in the
Nubian region. By 1700, these
kingdoms had been
aggregated into one large state with a capital at
Kerma, named '
Kush' by the
Egyptians to the
North. Due to its
strategic location and its large share of
natural resources, Kush was often
prey to Egyptian
looting raids. This led to Kush becoming a
province of
imperialistic New Kingdom Egypt by the year 1500 BC.
By 1070, New Kingdom power had declined and Kush regained its independence. And, by 770, Kush had turned the tables and conquered southern Egypt! However, this was not the end of Nubian expansion. Under Shabaka (712-698), all of Egypt was brought into the Empire of Kush. Then, just as suddenly, the Kushites had lost Egypt by 657 to Assyrian raids from the north. In 657, the Egyptians revolted and drove the Assyrians from Egypt, and in another startling change of fortunes, invaded Kush again, prompting the Nubians to move their capital south to Meroe. This is why Kush, from this time on, is known as the Kingdom of Meroe.
Meroe was quite powerful, and as many different groups who took control of Egypt (including the Romans after 525 BC) considered the Nubians to be a serious threat. However, the demise of Meroe was not due to these conquerors, but due to desert nomads who toppled the Meroite govermnent in 350. The city of Meroe was taken by Axum, and three kingoms, Nobatia, Makkura and Alwa arose until the 8th century when Nobatia was conquered by Makkura. With the collapse of Kush and the subjugation of the ancient Egyptian civilisation by other states came the end of the Early African Period and the beginning of the Classical Age.