The history of west africa has been commonly divided into its prehistory the iron age in africa the major polities flourishing the colonial period and finally the post independence era in which the current nations were formedwest africa is west of an imagined north south axis lying close to 10 east longitude bordered by the atlantic ocean and sahara desert. This trade led the khasso into increasing contact with the european settlements of africas west coast particularly the french benin grew increasingly rich during the 16th and 17th centuries on the slave trade with europe slaves from enemy states of the interior were sold and carried to the americas in dutch and portuguese ships. Alexander iii of macedon greek alexandros 20 21 july 356 bc 10 11 june 323 bc commonly known as alexander the great was a king of the ancient greek kingdom of macedona member of the argead dynasty he was born in pella a city in ancient greece in 356 bc he succeeded his father king philip ii to the throne at the age of 20 and spent most of his ruling