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African military systems to 1800 refers to the evolution of military systems on the African continent prior to 1800, with emphasis on the role of indigenous states and peoples. Development of the military art generally moved from the simple to the more sophisticated as economies and cultures became more elaborate. Areas such as Carthage, Egypt and Nubia are reflected in the antiquarian period. The pre-colonial period also saw a number of military systems- from cavalry empires on the grasslands, to kingdoms in more tropical and forested areas. The emergence of the gunpowder era, alongside developments in indigenous organization and culture, was to spark far-reaching consequences cutting across all regions, with ripple effects in culture, politics and economies. All of these patterns form the continuum that is African warfare. Due to the massive number of different peoples and regions, only major military systems or armies and their development to 1800〔Military histories such as John Kelly Thornton, Warfare in Atlantic Africa, 1500–1800, Routledge: 1999, use 1800 as a cut-off date.〕 are covered here- using the military activities of certain selected peoples or events to illustrate how military systems and innovations have developed on the continent. For events of the 19th century see African military systems (1800-1900). Coverage of the 20th century and beyond is illustrated in African military systems after 1900. For an overall view of the military history of Africa by region, see Military history of Africa. See individual battles, empires and leaders for details on other military activities in Africa. ==Military change and the African environment== Large parts of the African continent lack the advantages other continents have in facilitating the spread of ideas, materials and technology. Europe's East-West axis, for example, facilitated the spread of animals like horses, and important food crops like wheat. Over time, it also benefited from a number innovations originating elsewhere, such as gunpowder, printing and the compass. Ability to leverage resources like the mass requisitioning or availability of grain supplies for example, were critical for the deployment of large armies over an extended period. As historian John Thornton notes, the environment determined the type of military deployed by African states.〔John Thornton, Warfare in Atlantic Africa, 1999〕 Such observations on the African environment also appear in several standard histories on African cultures and economies, including the development of states and their militaries.〔July, pp. 11–39〕 The African environment, especially in the Saharan region and southwards, also hinders development of certain economic and technological engines critical to large-scale military operations. These barriers include: *The tsetse fly disease belt- which decimates horses, people and load-bearing animals, *Lack of navigable rivers and good natural harbors- hindering timely movement of technology, men and material, and *Poor soils that cannot produce grains such as wheat or rice in significant quantities—the staples of the mass armies of Europe and Asia. All of these factors impact huge swathes of Africa, with corresponding effects on indigenous military systems and the numbers available for battle.〔 As one historian puts it:
This environment, however, did not prevent the development of elaborate and sophisticated civilizations and states on the continent, although it was to impact its military systems, just as other environments elsewhere in the world shaped local and regional cultures. Military innovation and change in Africa also reflects the internal dynamism of the continent's peoples, political organization and culture. Like other regions of the world, this pattern sometimes proceeded in both revolutionary and incremental fashion.〔Thornton, pp. 4–29〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「African military systems to 1800」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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