Challenging the view of eastern and southern Africa in the early eras of world history, the author demonstrates that, from 1000 BC through to the fourth century AD, eastern and southern African history was invigorated by technological change and reshaped by a clash of distinctive cultures.

A resource for scholars of linguistics, archaeology, world history and African studies, this historical survey challenges the way in which we view eastern and southern Africa, and also Africa as a whole, in the early eras of world history. Combining findings from archaeology, the author demonstrates that, from 1000 BC through to the fourth century AD, eastern and southern African history was invigorated by technological change and reshaped by a clash of distinctive cultures. He shows that Africans of this period were direct and indirect participants in the major trends of contemporary world history, such as the Iron Age and the first great rise of long-distance commercial enterprise.

Setting the historical stage
the formative eras of classical Mashariki society
mapping the mosaics of cultural interaction
regional trends and developments
East Africa in the later classical age, to A.D. 400
southeastern Africa in the later classical age, to A.D. 400
social and economic transformation in the later classical age, 300 B.C. to A.D. 400. Appendixes: adjunct tables of evidence
supplementary tables of evidence.