WI:Domesticated camels became widespread earlier

[mojojojo]

from wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dromedary#Domestication
Around the second millennium BC, camels had become established in the Sahara region but disappeared again from the Sahara beginning around 900 BC. The Persian invasion of Egypt under Cambyses introduced domesticated camels to the area. Domesticated camels were used through much of North Africa, and the Romans maintained a corps of camel warriors to patrol the edge of the desert. The Persian camels, however, were not particularly suited to trading or travel over the Sahara; rare journeys made across the desert were made on horse-drawn chariots.
The stronger and more durable Dromedaries first began to arrive in Africa in the fourth century. It was not until the Islamic conquest of North Africa, however, that these camels became common. While the invasion was accomplished largely on horseback, the new links to the Middle East allowed camels to be imported en masse. These camels were well-suited to long desert journeys and could carry a great deal of cargo. For the first time this allowed substantial trade over the Sahara.


What if domesticated dromedary camels had been introduced into north Africa at the dawn of Egyptian civilization? How would this have effected Egypt, the rest of the world?

 

[mojojojo]

any thoughts on this

 

[DuQuense]

It wasn't till 7~800 AD that camel caravans across the Sahara between Tunis and Morocco to the Ivory/Gold Coast became common.
A earlier introduction of the camel may have lead to more contact between the Romans and the African Empires

 

[Abdul Hadi Pasha]

At the dawn of Egyptian civilization the Sahara wasn't as arid, so I'm not sure if Camels would have provided as huge an advantage as in later periods, but I suppose this would have allowed much greater Egyptian trade throughout the Sahara and Sahel.

 

[mojojojo]

At the dawn of Egyptian civilization the Sahara wasn't as arid, so I'm not sure if Camels would have provided as huge an advantage as in later periods, but I suppose this would have allowed much greater Egyptian trade throughout the Sahara and Sahel.

Would Egyptian culture have spread further into sub-Saharan Africa as a result? What butterflys would there be from this?

 

[Communist Wizard]

Egypt had the Nile already, so there would not be as much of an impetus to go south using camels when one could use the Nile. More likely the Nubians or etc. would be the middle men between Egypt and Africa, if needed.
Later on, if there aren't massive butterflies, I can see Carthage making use of this. Here we could see an impact. Carthage was smack dab in the middle of the Sahara on a west-east axis, though obviously in a north-south axis it was at the edge of the Sahara. Later on it also controlled Morocco and basically the entire western Meditterranean coast of Africa. It would have more of an impetus to go south and trade with whatever empires there were in Western Africa. However, there is very little evidence on Western Africa (the only place to really be reached that would not be reached without camels) before the 7th century...
In any case, Egypt would not be a very large contributor as it already has the Nile to help it, and that didn't give much help to it OTL as we can see.