WI early Arab contact with the cultures of Southern Africa?

[Hendryk]

The Southern part of the African continent was home to vibrant indigenous cultures, whose rise was however impeded among other factors by the scarcity of suitable crops; despite the fertile climate, the development of a surplus-producing agriculture was thwarted by the fact that most crops were only grown in the Northern hemisphere, and would only be introduced locally by European settlers.
So how would such cultures as the Zimbabwe and the Zulus, to name only those two, would have turned out had Arab traiders sailing down the coast of East Africa brought Mediterranean-style crops in the 1300s?

 

[wkwillis]

Gold and diamonds, then coal and ferroalloys. A black, moslem, click speaking civilisation based on pastoralism.

 

[Burton K Wheeler]

Bumping it, in connection with the slew of recent posts about Carthage, I wonder what influence by Carthaginian or Hellenist mariners around 300 A.D. would have on Southern Africa..

 

[Max Sinister]

Remember that Pharao Necho started an expedition going around Africa quite early in history. And they even were successful (although they needed three years). I guess it's easier to go around Africa clockwise rather than counter-clockwise, like the Portuguese had to.

 

[Burton K Wheeler]

Remember that Pharao Necho started an expedition going around Africa quite early in history. And they even were successful (although they needed three years). I guess it's easier to go around Africa clockwise rather than counter-clockwise, like the Portuguese had to.

My idea is that Egypt does not get annexed by Rome and instead starts developing its own Indian Ocean trade routes, first to India, and then settling on Africa's east coast. A Carthaginian exile kingdom also exists in the Canary Islands in my TL, so this question also extends to West Africa.

 

[Hendryk]

Anyone fancies a "Greater Zimbabwe" TL? With Mediterranean crops brought over by anyone from the Phoenicians to the Arabs--and borrowing said people's seafaring techniques--you could have a Southern African empire rising and expanding both overland and into the Indian Ocean, claiming first Madagascar and then looking further afield. For added bonus, have this empire use the Zulus the way Russia used the Cossacks.

I wouldn't be the one to write it, as my knowledge of African civilizations is woefully inadequate. Any takers?

 

[Burton K Wheeler]

That sounds pretty interesting. I haven't found much good material on African civilizations during this time period, but I'm also wondering what effect Carthaginian contact would have on West Africa.

 

[Glen]

Early introduction of Mediterranean crops to South Africa before the influx of Bantu speaking tribes might be most interesting.

Holy Hottentots, Batman!