THE GLORIOUS ANCIENT BENIN EMPIRE The Benin Empire thrived as a remarkable ancient city located in present-day Nigeria. In the pre-colonial era, Benin stood among the highly advanced cultures in Africa. This empire originated around 900 CE when the Edo people settled in the lush rainforests of West Africa. The walls encompassing Benin City and its surrounding kingdom were an extraordinary feat of earthworks, unmatched in scale until the advent of mechanization. In fact, they earned a place in th