One of the earliest civilizations to develop in the
Nile River Valley, Kushite states rose to power before a period of Egyptian incursion into the area then themselves established an Egyptian dynasty, the 25th Dynasty in 775 B.C.E. ruling until 653. These Pharaohs have been called the ‘Black Pharaohs’, or the ‘Ethiopian Pharaohs’. The Kingdom of Kush represents another ancient
African civilization about which relatively few people outside of Africa are aware, often reducing Africa’s contribution to civilization to the Egyptian legacy alone. The Kush, however, are referenced in the Bible and were known to the
Romans.