Arabs are documented as trading in slaves from the East African coast in the second century A.D.[1] The Arabs established a series of trading posts along the coast. Through prolonged contact with the Arabs, a distinctive Swahili ("coastal") culture developed among the Bantu people of the region.[2] Although the Swahili language has Bantu roots, it includes many words of Arabic origin.[3] For many years, Zanzibar was considered part of the kingdom of Oman.[4] The Swahili and Arab traders obtained slaves in the interior of East Africa and sold them in the great markets like Zanzibar on the coast. The trade peaked in the nineteenth century in response to growing local and international demand.[3]