Benin City: History, Former Names & Timeline
Capital of the Kingdom of Benin, known for its vast earthworks and its bronze plaques.
Benin CityExplore Benin City in the interactive map
Former names of Benin City
| From | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1180 | Edo / Benin City |
Timeline of Benin City
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1440 | Oba Ewuare the Great enlarges the city |
| 1897 | A British punitive expedition sacks the city and carries off the Benin Bronzes |
Who ruled Benin City
Derived from the border maps; each row runs until the next recorded border change.
| Period | State |
|---|---|
| 500 BC–899 | West African cereal farmers |
| 900–999 | Mandes |
| 1000–1299 | West African cereal farmers |
| 1300–1782 | Benin |
| 1783–1879 | Sotho |
| 1880–1913 | Benin |
| 1914–today | Nigeria |
Nearby cities
- Lagos · about 248 km