in the eastern sahara was done the nero expedition to ethiopia: it was an exploratory expedition promoted by the roman emperor nero to discover the sources of the nile river. seneca wrote that around 62 ad nero sent some legionaries to the city of meroe in nubia in order to explore all the nile southward from that capital. another expedition was recorded by plinius the elder in 68 ad. this expedition was the first in history from europe to the interior of equatorial africa. it probably lasted several months and bypassed the sudanese swamps called sudd during the dry season, possibly reaching the northern portion of present-day uganda.