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Historical map · 100 BC

Map of Africa in 100 BC

In 100 BC, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 19 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Parthian Empire, the Ptolemaic Kingdom and the Kingdom of Kush. The Parthian Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 2.2 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 100 BC. Zoom in, move the year slider to watch the borders change, or ask the history guide a question and it draws the answer on the map.

OPEN 100 BC ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 100 BC
Atlas map: The Republic Breaks (62 Bc)
FROM THE ATLAS · ROME, CHAPTER 4: THE REPUBLIC BREAKS (62 BC)

States and empires in Africa in 100 BC

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Parthian Empire Wikipedia1.0 million km²2.2 million km²239 BC–AD 237
Ptolemaic Kingdom Wikipedia567,000 km²567,000 km²331 BC–28 BC
Kingdom of Kush Wikipedia337,000 km²337,000 km²1000 BC–AD 346
Kingdom of Numidia Wikipedia307,000 km²307,000 km²197 BC–47 BC
Roman Republic228,000 km²1.2 million km²500 BC–32 BC
Minaeans215,000 km²215,000 km²383 BC–26 BC
Nabataeans Wikipedia126,000 km²126,000 km²164 BC–AD 105
Cyrenaica Wikipedia116,000 km²116,000 km²331 BC–92 BC
Seleucid Empire Wikipedia92,000 km²92,000 km²318 BC–64 BC
Hadhramaut Wikipedia86,000 km²86,000 km²700 BC–AD 305
Himyarite Kingdom Wikipedia74,000 km²74,000 km²110 BC–AD 601
Mauretania Wikipedia69,000 km²69,000 km²212 BC–AD 42
Greek City-States Wikipedia56,000 km²89,000 km²800 BC–AD 83
Sabaeans Wikipedia35,000 km²35,000 km²800 BC–AD 282
Kingdom of Cappadocia Wikipedia21,000 km²89,000 km²239 BC–AD 22
Kingdom of Pontus Wikipedia19,000 km²214,000 km²281 BC–AD 67
Judea Wikipedia16,000 km²16,000 km²144 BC–AD 5
Qataban Wikipedia12,000 km²12,000 km²350 BC–AD 183
Kingdom of Armenia Wikipedia4,060 km²132,000 km²326 BC–AD 646

"In the data" gives the first and last year the dataset draws the state under this identity; states often existed earlier or later in another form.

What changed since 200 BC

New on the map: Parthian Empire, Kingdom of Numidia, Nabataeans, Cyrenaica, Himyarite Kingdom, Kingdom of Pontus, Judea, Kingdom of Armenia.

Gone from the map: Atropatene, Carthage, Achaean League, Antigonid Macedonia, Kingdom of Pergamon.

What comes next: AD 1

Appear by AD 1: Roman Empire, Kingdom of Axum, Kingdom of Osroene, Kingdom of Gordyene, Kingdom of Adiabene, Kingdom of Sophene, Kingdom of Commagene.

Gone by AD 1: Ptolemaic Kingdom, Kingdom of Numidia, Roman Republic, Minaeans, Cyrenaica, Seleucid Empire, Greek City-States, Sabaeans, Kingdom of Pontus, Qataban.

Read the history of 100 BC

Guided atlas chapters set near this date, each with its own map, causes and consequences:

Questions about this map

Which countries were in Africa in 100 BC?

The map data draws 19 states and other polities in Africa in 100 BC. The largest by land were the Parthian Empire, the Ptolemaic Kingdom, the Kingdom of Kush, the Kingdom of Numidia and the Roman Republic.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 100 BC?

Of the states on this map, the Parthian Empire held the most land in total: about 2.2 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 100 BC interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 100 BC, zoom into any region, move through the years, and ask the history guide questions: it answers in plain words and draws places, armies and borders on the map.

About these borders

The borders come from Cliopatria (v0.2.1, Seshat Global History Databank, CC BY 4.0), the dataset behind our interactive map, with our audited name and border corrections. It records each state's territory year by year from 3400 BC to 2024. Borders before modern surveys are reconstructions: the data draws a state where it held control, and frontier zones, nomadic realms and loose overlordships are approximate. Areas are measured on an equal-area projection. Read how we make our maps.

Africa in other years

Other regions in 100 BC