Sorry for the convoluted title lol, and also sorry if this has been asked before (Reddit's search function is atrocious).
I'm not talking about the knowledge some specialized diplomat or merchant would know. I mean more generally, what would an aristocrat of the Mediterranean area know about the rest of world. I'm particularly interested in the what they would know of the south; I imagine they would be familiar with the Horn of Africa, but what about beyond that? And what about the other side of the continent? Finally, did they see the Sahara as some endless wasteland, or did they know have some idea of what was south of it?
Thank you :)
Sub-Saharan Africa was explored by Roman expeditions between 19 B.C.E - 90 C.E, most likely in an effort to locate the sources of valuable trade goods and establish routes to bring them to the seaports on the coast of North Africa, thereby minimizing disruption in trade caused by conflicts among indigenous tribes and kingdoms.
Follow along as we explore ancient Africa and the Peoples that the Ancient Romans came into contact with both peacefully and in military conflicts that would change the way the Roman Empire saw what would later be called the African Continent.
From the Ancient Nubians to Ancient Libyans and beyond!
https://youtu.be/OAVIFB44sP4
Follow the established format from OTL.
- Roman Name/Current Name: geographical boundaries
- Caledonia/Scotland: the areas north of Brittania.
First posted by u/rusticbohemian a few months back but never answered.
And to expand on his question, is there any material or literary evidence of a Roman prescence in Sub-Saharan Africa, on either side of the continent?
I'm curious if there were attempts by the Romans to venture south of the Sahel. Did they have any encounters with sub-Saharan communities? any sources that indicate the Empire's contact with people in more southern regions of the continent?
For whatever reason, lets say that the Romans are fascinated by the stories of foreign lands and of sailors from a time long gone. One story stands out to young Octavius, the story of how Phoenicians once sailed around Africa. Once Augustus comes to power on top of all the things he did for Rome in our time line, he lets his curiosity run wild and awaken the spirit of exploration in the Roman culture. The Romans were never good sailors, but they sail around Africa just to see what can be found there. A new dream is born, a dream of exploring strange lands like in the times of myths and of surrounding Africa just like how the Greeks surrounded the Mediterranean. They never get far from the coast, that was hard enough for European imperial powers of our time line, but they do establish settlements, relations with foreign cultures and conquer some of them.
How does history change from there? Does curiosity lead the Romans further or do they become disappointed after a while? Does Rome fall earlier because of the maintenance of colonies or does it grow richer? What is the fate of the Roman civilization in different parts of Africa after the fall of the western Roman empire? Byzantine control? Independence and balkanization? The formation of a new Roman empire in South Africa? What does this mean for the spread of new religions and the longevity of old ones?
I don't know how realistic this scenario is, but it opens up a lot of questions and I thought it would make for a good discussion.
Picking up on the theme of the week...
The search function gives me answers to very specific questions, such as why the Romans didn't conquer the rest of the Nile, and why it wasn't feasible or practical for them to cross the Sahara.
That being said, I still wonder what they knew about South-Saharan Africa. Were they aware of the vast Rainforest / Jungle?
Also, the posts so far addressed the problems of venturing into jungle (Malaria, parasites) or across the desert, but what kept them from just sailing along the coast of the Red Sea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romans_in_Sub-Saharan_Africa
We in the west from Europe (including Russia) to Americas still study ancient Roman and Greek history & philosophy, and our societies and ideas are shaped greatly by those two.
In the east from Malaysia to Mongolia to Japan people similarly study ancient Chinese history & philosophy, having societies and ideas greatly shaped by China.
I started wondering if sub-Saharan Africa has similar sphere of its own, drawing from some great and advanced historical nation which has influenced common African thought and society to this day.
EDIT: I take this topic answered and conclude that no, sub-Saharan Africa lacks a common greater cultural sphere.
The arrival of iron smelting technology in sub-Saharan Africa played a significant role in shaping the historical record of the area by bringing profound changes to the lives and societies of its inhabitants
Also, did Rome have any knowledge of the sub-saharan Africa and if so did they establish any trade?
First posted by u/rusticbohemian a few months back but never answered.
And to expand on his question, is there any material or literary evidence of a Roman prescence in Sub-Saharan Africa, on either side of the continent?
Sub-Saharan Africa was explored by Roman expeditions between 19 B.C.E - 90 C.E, most likely in an effort to locate the sources of valuable trade goods and establish routes to bring them to the seaports on the coast of North Africa, thereby minimizing disruption in trade caused by conflicts among indigenous tribes and kingdoms.
Follow along as we explore ancient Africa and the Peoples that the Ancient Romans came into contact with both peacefully and in military conflicts that would change the way the Roman Empire saw what would later be called the African Continent.
From the Ancient Nubians to Ancient Libyans and beyond!
https://youtu.be/OAVIFB44sP4
Sub-Saharan Africa was explored by Roman expeditions between 19 B.C.E - 90 C.E, most likely in an effort to locate the sources of valuable trade goods and establish routes to bring them to the seaports on the coast of North Africa, thereby minimizing disruption in trade caused by conflicts among indigenous tribes and kingdoms.
Follow along as we explore ancient Africa and the Peoples that the Ancient Romans came into contact with both peacefully and in military conflicts that would change the way the Roman Empire saw what would later be called the African Continent.
From the Ancient Nubians to Ancient Libyans and beyond!
https://youtu.be/OAVIFB44sP4
I'm curious if there were attempts by the Romans to venture south of the Sahel. Did they have any encounters with sub-Saharan communities?
