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It was originally believed that Zanzibar first settled by Africans
+/- 3000 to 4000 years ago. Many centuries later, inhabitants from
Greece, Egypt, Persia, Arabia, India, China and Europe began to
settle. Claudius Ptolemy, a famous Greek geographer, who lived in
Egypt, made mention of Zanzibar in his work in about 150 AD. Zanzibar
was a major trade route from Roman Empire to the Indo-Chinese ports.
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By the 4
th
century AD, Bantu people settled here, with Islam making it's way in,
about 7 AD. These were Arab and Persian emigrants who were fleeing
their own war torn countries. Through all the intermarriages, the
language of Kiswahili was born. This forms the base of the present day
language Swahili, which is the language spoken in Zanzibar.
This appeared to be a time of peace and prosperity, with Persians
continuing to intermarry with Zanzibaris, and trade established with
their homelands. Goods traded included gold, ebony, ivory, tortoise
shells and slaves. In return they received porcelain, cloth and beads.
This happy and prosperous time continued until the arrival of the
Europeans in the late 15
th
century. Zanzibar had been an independent Sultanate until the arrival
of Vasco Da Gama in 1498.
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