Precolonial Tanzania

'''A'zania''' () is a name that has been applied to various parts of southeastern tropical Africa. In the Roman period and perhaps earlier, the toponym has been hypothesised to have referred to a portion of the Southeast African coast extending from southern Somalia to the border between Mozambique and South Africa. During classical antiquity, Azania was mostly inhabited by Southern Cushitic peoples, whose groups would rule the area until the great Bantu Migration.

Medieval sultanate centered on Kilwa

Rhapta () was an emporion said to be on the coast of Southeast Africa, first described in the 1st century CE. Its location has not been firmly identified, although there are a number of plausible candidate sites. The ancient Periplus of the Erythraean Sea described Rhapta as "the last emporion of Azania", two days' travel south of the Menouthias islands (Chapter 16). The Periplus also states that the city and port were ruled by South Arabian vassals of the Himyarite kingdom, particularly a certain "Mapharitic chieftain."

historical kingdom in Tanzania

mythic origin in the history of Southeast Africa

Sultan of Kilwa