In 330 A.D., as the power of Rome declined, the Emperor Constantine moved the imperial capital to Byzantium (modern-day Istanbul). While the glories of the Byzantine Empire, which persisted until 1453 A.D., have been extensively documented, the lasting impact of North Africa, Egypt, Nubia, and Ethiopia on the Mediterranean world has been largely overlooked. In the eighth century, when Islam became the dominant faith in the Eastern region, it was these African kingdoms that upheld Christian tradition. Featuring masterworks in the mediums of mosaics, sculpture, pottery, metalwork paintings, and religious manuscripts, the Met Museum explores Africa’s central role in the international trade network. —Elena Clavarino