African Dream

Throughout its recent history, Africa has been the sight of many terrible things, such as war, genocide, starvation, and poverty. Depicted a poor, corrupt, and filled with decease, the entire continent has fallen short in nearly every category, save perhaps war. However, thing were not always like this. Africa had been the home of many wonderful and powerful empires. The Mali Empire was the wealthiest nation on Earth, with enough gold that its monarch gave it away during his pilgrimage to Mecca. The Kingdom of Axum was one of the four superpowers of the world when Rome was at the apex of its strength. And might Egypt was reknown for its military prowess and many mysterious gods. Well in this alternate timeline, you will see something different. A timeline in which we shall revisit and sustain those ancient empire. To be more specific: What if civilization arose in Africa first?

Points of Divergence
In this timeline, Egypt extends further south into Sudan and the Ethiopian Highlands, give the tribal groups there a kick-start on state-building. The Persians after destroying Babylon as they did in OTL turn their eyes to Africa, and invade Egypt. A small Egyptian state survives the attack in the Sudanese south, which for the Persians; uncustom to the lethal diseases there, are incapable of pursuing the Egyptians. After some time passes, Persia weakens, and taking the initiative, Egypt reconquers their lands via Upper Egypt.

In Greece, Persia invades and destroys the Greek forces, and over in Italy, Rome is subdued by the Gauls. The Romans take a tad bit too long to get themselves right to be of any threat at this time. Over at the Greek colonies in the west, Carthage overruns their possessions, and those Greeks smart enough to do so get out of the region while the getting is good. However, in Greece, while the Greeks manage to throw off the Persian shackles, they find themselves invaded yet again, this time by the Scythians.

This invasion is caused by a different history in the Orient. A less than successful unification of China, a series of sloppy civil wars, and an extended period of fragmentation leaves China open for the inevitable Hunnic invasion and conquest of much of the region. The tribes get uppity and turn their greedy eyes to Europe, and invade that area too. Eastern Europe gets throttled by the Huns during the Middles Ages, and its development is retarded. It such be noted that while there are no more Greeks in Greece, there are plenty left in Asia Minor.

Carthage never conquers all of Iberia due in part to the Roman Menace, the Gauls now benefiting from the Roman perks they would have had OTL. The Carthagianians thus use the extra manpower to consolidate their claims in North Africa, and even take over Egypt for some time. They invade and force the Gauls out of Italy, but kept their distance from Northern Europe for the time being. Using the new skills learned in Italy, the Gauls manage to stay the Germannic invasions, and divert the German onslaught elsewhere, namely Italy and the Balkans. The stepped invasions only make matters in Europe worse.

Over some time, Carthage manages to last, and makes contact with several Sub-Saharan kingdoms, exchanging knowledge and goods over the next couple of decades, giving that region a jump start on the way to state-building as well. Because of this, Carthage beats the Arabs to West Africa, sooner than the Arabs would have in OTL. Writing reaches the Sahel by the OTL 3rd century.