The military history of Africa is one of the oldest military histories in the world. Africa is a continent of many regions with diverse populations speaking thousands of different languages and practicing an array of cultures and religions. These differences have also been the source of much conflict since a millennia.
Like the history of Africa, military history on the continent is often divided by region. North Africa was part of the Mediterranean cultures and was integral to the military history of classical antiquity, and East Africa has historically had various states which have often warred with some the world's most powerful. The military history of modern Africa may be divided into three broad time periods: pre-colonial, colonial, and post-colonial.[1]