Ibn Batutta was a self-proclaimed scholar of the
fourteenth century who traveled extensively throughout sub-Saharan Africa
under the auspice of Muslim religion. This paper examines his detailed journal, an account of his experiences traveling through various
medieval cities. It discusses how the text of Ibn Battuta stands as a relevant work from an autobiographical standpoint, as well as a study of regional cultural diversity among Islamic communities and shows how it gives an understanding of historical information about the size and resources of ancient cities, trade relationships and the predominant commodities of value.