Map of Africa in 500 BC (500 BCE)
In 500 BCE the atlas maps 3 states and empires with territory in Africa. The largest by mapped territory was Achaemenid Empire, at about 5.55M km², followed by The Kingdom of Kush. The map below is set to 500 BCE; the table lists every state shown, with the modern countries its borders covered.
- States Mapped
- 3
- Largest
- 5.55M km²
- Modern Countries Covered
- 23
- Longest Established
- 1000–500 BCE
Map of Africa in 500 BCE
Borders are drawn for 500 BCE. Drag the timeline to move to another year.
The Major Powers of 500 BCE
Achaemenid Empire
550–327 BCEThe Achaemenid Empire was an ancient Iranian empire founded by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid dynasty in 550 BC. 5 million square kilometres, making it the largest empire of its time.
Mapped extent in 500 BCE: 5.55M km²
The Kingdom of Kush
1000 BCE – 346 CEThe Kingdom of Kush, also known as the Kushite Empire, or simply Kush, was an ancient kingdom in Nubia, centered along the Nile Valley in what is now northern Sudan and southern Egypt.
Mapped extent in 500 BCE: 336,379 km²
Carthage
650–145 BCEAncient Carthage was an ancient civilization based in North Africa. It grew from a small settlement in present-day Tunisia into the Carthaginian Empire, a major power that dominated the western half of the Mediterranean Sea.
Mapped extent in 500 BCE: 124,878 km²
Descriptions are the opening of each state's Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
States and Empires in 500 BCE
3 mapped, largest territory first. Dates are the span of each state's mapped borders.
500 BCE by Region
500 BCE: Quick Answers
- What empires and states existed in Africa in 500 BCE?
- The atlas maps 3 states in Africa in 500 BCE. The largest by mapped territory were Achaemenid Empire, The Kingdom of Kush, Carthage.
- What was the largest empire in Africa in 500 BCE?
- Achaemenid Empire had the largest mapped territory among states present in Africa in 500 BCE, about 5.55M km², followed by The Kingdom of Kush (336,379 km²). Areas are measured from the mapped borders and are approximate.
- What did the map of Africa look like in 500 BC?
- In 500 BCE the map of Africa was divided between 3 mapped states and empires. Achaemenid Empire held the largest territory, followed by The Kingdom of Kush. Their borders covered parts of 23 present-day countries.
- How many states are shown on the map for 500 BCE?
- 3. The map shows the states recorded in the atlas's dated border dataset for that year; states and peoples absent from that dataset are not shown.