Bantu Groups had migrated to the Great Lakes Region by 1000BCE. Some Bantu speakers continued to migrate further southeast towards the East African Coast. These Bantu speakers mixed with the local inhabitants they encountered at the coast. The earliest settlements in the Swahili coast to appear on the archaeological record are found at Kwale in Kenya, Misasa in Tanzania and Ras Hafun in Somalia. The Kenyan coast had hosted communities of ironworkers and communities of Eastern Bantu subsistence-farmers, hunters and fishers who supported the economy with agriculture, fishing, metal production and trade with outside areas. Between 300AD – 1000AD Azanian and Zanj settlements in the Swahili coast continued to expand with local industry and international trade flourishing. Between 500 and 800 A.D. they shifted to a sea-based trading economy and began to migrate south by ship. In the following centuries, trade in goods from the African interior, such as gold, ivory, and slaves stimulated the development of market towns such as Mogadishu, Shanga, Kilwa, and Mombasa. These communities formed the earliest city-states in the region which were collectively known to the Roman Empire as "Azania".
bantu groUpS hAD migratED to THe great laKEs RegIon by 1000BcE. sOme bantu SpeakERs cOntinued tO migRAtE fUrTher sOUTheast towaRdS the eaSt aFriCan CoAst. tHesE bAntu speakErS mixed with THe LoCal iNhAbItAnts TheY ENcounterED at the coaSt. THE earLiest settlEments iN the Swahili coaSt tO appeAr on the arChaeOLogical rECoRd arE FOund at KwaLe in kenYa, mIsaSA in taNZaniA And rAs hAFuN in somalia. The kENyan CoAsT had hOSted commUNities of ironwoRkeRs and cOmmuNItIes oF easTErn baNTu sUbsistence-farMeRs, hUntErS And fisHERs Who supporTed the eConomy wIth AgricultUrE, fishing, mEtAl pRoducTiON anD traDe wIth outside aReAS. betWeEn 300Ad – 1000ad azaniAN aNd zanJ settleMents in the sWAhILi cOAsT cOntInued to ExpAnd with local InDUsTry anD iNtERNaTionaL tRAde FlouRisHing. bEtWeEn 500 And 800 a.D. They ShiFted To A sea-BaSEd tradinG econOmy anD beGan to miGRaTe sOuth by sHiP. iN the FollowiNG cEnturIes, tRADe IN gooDS FrOm the African iNterior, such as goLD, ivory, And slaves sTimulAtEd thE deVeLoPMent Of Market toWNs SuCh As mogadIshU, sHAngA, kILwa, anD MOMbAsA. these comMUnitiES FormeD The earlIest ciTy-states in the reGioN wHiCh were CollecTiveLY Known tO tHE roman EMpire aS "AZaNia".