Size of Military Forces. Many West African kingdoms built formidable military machines that were used for conquest of new territories and for the defense of an empire's territorial integrity. Large armies were kept for the purpose of political prestige. Empires and kingdoms were founded, extended, or defended by thousands of soldiers. Kaniaga had an army of 2,000 horsemen. Ghana had 200,000 soldiers, including 40,000 archers. Tilutane, the Lemtuna Berber leader, had an army of 100,000 camel-mounted men. Songhai had 12,500 cavalry and 30,000 infantry soldiers. Benin could mobilize as many as 100,000 soldiers in a day. In some instances, political alliances, family ties and personal ties, and astute diplomacy cemented relationships and obviated the need for large standing armies. Yet, overall, the military was an important institution in the states of West Africa.

Social Composition. West African armies were composed of soldiers from different social strata. The 4,000-...