When we think of , we usually mean the modern day country of . But what about the roots of , which dates back to the mighty ancient kingdom of ? The Kingdom of lasted from about 300 to 1300. At its time, was one of the most powerful empires in Western Africa and had an ideal location rich with natural resources. So now let me begin by telling you about this accomplished kingdom 500 miles northeast from the modern day country. A nomadic group called the Berbers first established as a trading city around AD 300. They ruled for 400 years until ....