9. From Settlers to Chiefdoms
In Madagascar’s early history, East Africans and Arabs came here to develop trading posts as a means of commerce. Settlers began arriving on the island in waves in the period between 350 BC and 55 AD. Eventually, kings came into power and would extend their reach to their neighbors through this trade.
What really gave Madagascar’s leaders their power was that their location made them perfect for African countries to become part of the Silk Road, which was one of the most extensive sets of trade routes in the Eastern world, extending from Europe all the way to Java. The Silk Road connected the East and West from the 2nd century BCE and the 18th century.