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Historical map · 300

Map of Africa in 300

In 300, the historical border data behind our interactive map draws 9 states, empires and other polities in Africa. By the land they held inside this region, the largest were the Roman Empire, the Sasanian Empire and the Kingdom of Kush. The Roman Empire reached well beyond Africa: its whole territory measured about 4.2 million km².

See this map live. The interactive map opens on Africa in 300. 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 300 ON THE MAP →Ask the history guide about 300
Atlas map: Diocletian and Constantine (Ad 312)
FROM THE ATLAS · ROME, CHAPTER 9: DIOCLETIAN AND CONSTANTINE (AD 312)

States and empires in Africa in 300

StateIn this regionWhole stateIn the data
Roman Empire Wikipedia1.5 million km²4.2 million km²31 BC–AD 632
Sasanian Empire Wikipedia857,000 km²3.7 million km²215–643
Kingdom of Kush Wikipedia337,000 km²337,000 km²1000 BC–AD 346
Lakhmid Kingdom Wikipedia259,000 km²259,000 km²270–633
Himyarite Kingdom Wikipedia137,000 km²137,000 km²110 BC–AD 601
Kingdom of Axum Wikipedia133,000 km²133,000 km²50 BC–AD 946
Hadhramaut Wikipedia98,000 km²98,000 km²700 BC–AD 305
Kingdom of Armenia Wikipedia14,000 km²218,000 km²326 BC–AD 646
Kingdom of Adiabene Wikipedia13,000 km²13,000 km²63 BC–AD 370

"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

New on the map: Sasanian Empire, Lakhmid Kingdom.

Gone from the map: Parthian Empire, Sabaeans, Kingdom of Osroene, Kingdom of Gordyene.

What comes next: 400

Appear by 400: Allegiance of Kidarites to Sasanian Empire, Western Roman Empire, Nobatia, Alodia, Huns, Makuria, Visigoths.

Gone by 400: Kingdom of Kush, Hadhramaut, Kingdom of Armenia, Kingdom of Adiabene.

Read the history of 300

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 300?

The map data draws 9 states and other polities in Africa in 300. The largest by land were the Roman Empire, the Sasanian Empire, the Kingdom of Kush, the Lakhmid Kingdom and the Himyarite Kingdom.

What was the largest empire in Africa in 300?

Of the states on this map, the Roman Empire held the most land in total: about 4.2 million km² in the reconstruction used here. Ancient and frontier borders are approximate, so treat areas as estimates.

Can I explore Africa in 300 interactively?

Yes. Open the interactive map at 300, 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 300