Horn of african trade empire

[Ocean canine]

What would've happened had 1 entity take control of all trade in the horn of Africa
What would happen if this maritime thallocratic nation state had expanded further in the indian Ocean by using more developed sailing ships

 

[The Tai-Pan]

Take a look at the Omani Empire.

 

[Ocean canine]

I meant an indigenous cushtic or Hamitic civilisation based in the classical age

 

[Xel]

Hmm, well the threads still open for reply so, I'd say your best bet would be a divergence tied to the Macrobians, maybe following a similar path to Egypt with them expanding in response to foreign invasion by Cambyses II. IE, he decides to launch his invasion anyway but it fails due to strong resistance and logistical issues, but it does enough damage to the nations sense of security that either neighbors start flexing on them, or they just grow more controlling in general and start expanding to strengthen themselves over the generations.

 

[revachah2]

I can't see a whole horn of africa trade tbh being possible because its all related to the internal camel caravans which even today cannot be completely controlled. I can see like maybe easternmost Eritrea to Bosaso and Socotra with the chokepoints of watering holes and maybe only two or three major ports being the main concentration of trade.

But you'd have to rewrite the entire Somali clan based system for that to occur.

 

[Superninja76]

Mayhaps this is a bit too late to qualify as the classical age, but if the deception of Somali traders with regard to the source of Cinnamon was discovered, perhaps the romans look to launch punitive campaigns against them for circumventing their prohibition on indian shipping? They could recruit the Aksumites to aid them in this regard, and if successful, maybe they (the Aksumites) could use this opportunity to establish a monopoly over trade in the horn, by annexation or clientalisation of independent trading cities. Bit looser of an "empire" than you originally asked for, but I suppose it fits the bill?

 

[Hvalrossen]

Do you imagine this 'trade empire' to be a single large polity controlling vast areas of the horn, or perhaps a culturally unified belt of small states and independent cities?

 

[Ocean canine]

Mayhaps this is a bit too late to qualify as the classical age, but if the deception of Somali traders with regard to the source of Cinnamon was discovered, perhaps the romans look to launch punitive campaigns against them for circumventing their prohibition on indian shipping? They could recruit the Aksumites to aid them in this regard, and if successful, maybe they (the Aksumites) could use this opportunity to establish a monopoly over trade in the horn, by annexation or clientalisation of independent trading cities. Bit looser of an "empire" than you originally asked for, but I suppose it fits the bill?

That does sound pretty good
But personally I feel as though it would be possible for some if the trader city states to rise up against axumite aggression then same way greeks rose up against the persians
The city states were rich beyond belief but militarily I'm not to sure
But with the right number of hadramite and native force to form a coalition it would be possible to see some sort if trade federation to form in the gulf aden to protect the trade route

I think it would be possible to make a tl of this
But the only problem would be having to revise the names and lifestyles and cultures of non existent peoples
I'm not to sure how much the modern cities of berbera, bosaso have in common with opone, mundus and mosylon

 

[Superninja76]

That does sound pretty good
But personally I feel as though it would be possible for some if the trader city states to rise up against axumite aggression then same way greeks rose up against the persians
The city states were rich beyond belief but militarily I'm not to sure
But with the right number of hadramite and native force to form a coalition it would be possible to see some sort if trade federation to form in the gulf aden to protect the trade route

I think it would be possible to make a tl of this
But the only problem would be having to revise the names and lifestyles and cultures of non existent peoples
I'm not to sure how much the modern cities of berbera, bosaso have in common with opone, mundus and mosylon

Use what there is as a base, and try to fill in the gaps with what you feel is realistic.

 

[GuildedAgeNostalgia]

Options could be:

- Aksum that destroys Mecca pre Islam and somehow comes up with a better environmental policy.

- Adal Sultanate getting more Ottoman support (along with a Portugal screw).

- Greek settler colony becoming a major kingdom on the Southern coast of the Red Sea.

- Omani Sultanate based out of Mogadishu instead of Zanzibar or Muscat.

- Swahili city states unify and centralize around Kilwa, conquer the Somalis to the North, get gunpowder from the Ottomans, beat back the Portuguese and create a East African maratime Empire stretching from Berbera to the Mouth of the Zambezi.

 

[StevenIronside]

Options could be:

- Aksum that destroys Mecca pre Islam and somehow comes up with a better environmental policy.

- Adal Sultanate getting more Ottoman support (along with a Portugal screw).

- Greek settler colony becoming a major kingdom on the Southern coast of the Red Sea.

- Omani Sultanate based out of Mogadishu instead of Zanzibar or Muscat.

- Swahili city states unify and centralize around Kilwa, conquer the Somalis to the North, get gunpowder from the Ottomans, beat back the Portuguese and create a East African maratime Empire stretching from Berbera to the Mouth of the Zambezi.

I like the idea of greek settler colony or maybe a Phoenician, maybe Egyptian creating a strong kingdom there. The area is perfect to exploit trade going to Egypt and India, as well as along the coast and the inner african trade routes. With a strong central goverment in place this colony could become a major power, and at the bare minimum rich