Eastern Bantu-speaking farmers

Eastern Bantu-speaking farmers appears on the timeline as a people or culture of Great Lakes (Central and Southern Africa) from c. 1000 BCE to 1300 CE, a span of 2,299 years. Its people spoke Bantu languages (Kongo, Shona, Zulu, Swahili, Luba, Ganda).

Bantu-speaking farmers reached the western Great Lakes around 1000 BCE, learned cattle keeping and grain farming from Central Sudanic and Cushitic neighbours, and began smelting iron. From here the Eastern Bantu spread to the coast and the Cape.

See Eastern Bantu-speaking farmers on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

c. 1000 BCE to 1300 CE

Duration

2,299 years

Type

People or culture

Region

Great Lakes, Central and Southern Africa

Language family

Bantu

Events in Central and Southern Africa during its time

• 1000 BCE Bantu farmers reach the Great Lakes
• 500 BCE Iron smelting in the Great Lakes
• 50 The Periplus describes Azania

Neighbours in Central and Southern Africa

• Swahili city-states c. 800 to 1700 CE
• Kingdom of Zimbabwe c. 1220 to 1450 CE
• Kingdom of Buganda c. 1300 to 1966 CE
• Kilwa Sultanate c. 957 to 1513 CE
• Kingdom of Mapungubwe c. 1075 to 1220 CE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Republic of Venice c. 697 to 1797 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE, North and West Africa
• Holy Roman Empire 962 to 1806 CE, Europe
• Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE, North and West Africa
• Srivijaya c. 650 to 1377 CE, Southeast Asia
• Ethiopian Empire (Solomonic dynasty) 1270 to 1974 CE, North and West Africa
• Moche (Mochica) c. 100 to 800 CE, South America
• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE, North and West Africa

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