Edit Definition
Definition
When people spoke of Africa in ancient times, they generally meant the northern coast of Africa, and more specifically the coast west of Egypt (Cyrenaica and the Maghreb). The ancients vaguely knew of the existance of sub-Saharan Africa, but were unaware of its geography.
Despite its location in Africa, Egypt never expanded westwards. The expanse of the Libyan Desert cut Egypt off from the rest of North Africa. Egyptian boats, while well suited to the Nile, were not usable in the open Mediterranean. Moreover the small Egyptian merchant had far more prosperous destinations on Crete, Cyprus and the Levant.
Greeks and Phoenicians settled along the coast of Northern Africa between 800-600 BC. Both societies drew their prosperity from the sea and from ocean-born trade. They found only limited trading opportunities with the native inhabitants, and instead turned to colonization. The Greek trade was based mainly in the Aegean, Adriatic, Black, and Red Seas and they only established major cities in Cyrenaica, directly to the south of Greece.
The Phoenicians developed an even larger presence in North Africa with colonies from Tripoli to the Atlantic. One of the most important Phoenician cities was Carthage, which grew into one of the greatest powers in the region. At the height of its power, Carthage controlled the Western Mediterranean and most of North Africa outside of Egypt.
At the end of the Punic wars in 146 BC, Rome defeated Carthage and destroyed the city. All Carthaginian possessions were annexed into the Roman empire. In 30 BC, Roman Emperor Octavian conquered Egypt, officially annexing it to the Empire and, for the first time, unifying the North African coast under a single ruler. When the Roman Empire began to collapse, North Africa was spared much of the disruption until the Vandal invasion of 429 AD. The Vandals ruled in North Africa until the territories were regained by Justinian of the Eastern Empire in the 6th century. Egypt was never invaded by the Vandals because there was a thousand mile buffer of desert.
Despite its location in Africa, Egypt never expanded westwards. The expanse of the Libyan Desert cut Egypt off from the rest of North Africa. Egyptian boats, while well suited to the Nile, were not usable in the open Mediterranean. Moreover the small Egyptian merchant had far more prosperous destinations on Crete, Cyprus and the Levant.
Greeks and Phoenicians settled along the coast of Northern Africa between 800-600 BC. Both societies drew their prosperity from the sea and from ocean-born trade. They found only limited trading opportunities with the native inhabitants, and instead turned to colonization. The Greek trade was based mainly in the Aegean, Adriatic, Black, and Red Seas and they only established major cities in Cyrenaica, directly to the south of Greece.
The Phoenicians developed an even larger presence in North Africa with colonies from Tripoli to the Atlantic. One of the most important Phoenician cities was Carthage, which grew into one of the greatest powers in the region. At the height of its power, Carthage controlled the Western Mediterranean and most of North Africa outside of Egypt.
At the end of the Punic wars in 146 BC, Rome defeated Carthage and destroyed the city. All Carthaginian possessions were annexed into the Roman empire. In 30 BC, Roman Emperor Octavian conquered Egypt, officially annexing it to the Empire and, for the first time, unifying the North African coast under a single ruler. When the Roman Empire began to collapse, North Africa was spared much of the disruption until the Vandal invasion of 429 AD. The Vandals ruled in North Africa until the territories were regained by Justinian of the Eastern Empire in the 6th century. Egypt was never invaded by the Vandals because there was a thousand mile buffer of desert.
Bibliography
Peer Review
Are you qualified to peer review ancient history information? Apply now and help provide quality ancient history information on the web!
Add Article
Articles
-
Phoenician traders arrived on the North African coast around 900 B.C. and established Carthage (in present-day Tunisia) around 800 B.C. By the sixth century B.C., a Phoenician presence existed at Tipasa (east of Cherchell in Algeria). From their principal center of power at Carthage, the Carthaginians...
-
This is a second attempt at a synthesis of the main problems for the forthcoming Cambridge History of Ancient Religions. The problems are complex and still threaten to overwhelm. This version remains a cri de coeur: any helpful comments and criticisms are encouraged.
-
When the Numidian king Massinissa (c.241-148) died, the people of Dougga (or: Thugga) decided to build a monument in his honour. A bilingual inscription (RIL 2, KAI 101) says the building was erected in the tenth reign year of his successor Micipsa (139/8 BC). One part of the inscription was written...
-
The Meroe Head, so-called because it was found beneath a temple in the ruins of Meroe, is the head of a larger-than life statue of Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (better known as Augustus Caesar) the first Emperor of Rome (reigned 31 BCE-14 CE). On 2 September 31 BCE Octavian Caesar (the future Augustus...
-
Until 308 BC, Carthage was ruled, at least officially, by Monarchs. Find below a list of monarchs of Carthage between 814-308 BC. Didoian Dynasty Dido 814-c.760 BC -queen (unknown rulers)Hanno I c.580-c.556 BC Malchus c.556-c.550 BC Magonid DynastyMago I c.550-c.530 BCHasdrubal I c.530-c.510 BCHamilcar...
Add Reference
Links
- Gigthis, un site méconnu de Tunisie
http://tunisie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/gigthis-un-site-meconnu-de-tunisie - Quelques monuments de la cité romaine de Sabratha (Libye)
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/quelques-monuments-de-la-cite-romaine-de-sabratha-libye - http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/lixus-et-mogador--les-pheniciens-au-marochttp://
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/lixus-et-mogador--les-pheniciens-au-marochttp:// - Les Garamantes, un peuple antique du Sahara
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/les-garamantes-un-peuple-antique-du-sahara - Lepcis Magna, ville natale de l'empereur Septime Sévère
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/lepcis-magna-ville-natale-de-lempereur-septime-severe - Cyrène, de la cité grecque à la ville romaine
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/cyrene-de-la-cite-grecque-a-la-ville-romaine - Les autels des frères Philènes, en Libye
http://mythes-et-legendes.suite101.fr/article.cfm/les-autels-des-freres-philenes-en-libye - Le site d'Apollonia et le port de Cyrène en Libye
http://archeologie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/le-site-dapollonia-le-port-de-cyrene-en-libye - Les monuments de la cité grecque de Cyrène, en Libye
http://afrique.suite101.fr/article.cfm/les-monuments-de-cyrene-cite-grecque-de-libye - Utique : l'une des plus anciennes cités de la côte africaine
http://tunisie.suite101.fr/article.cfm/utique-une-des-plus-anciennes-cites-de-la-cote-africaine
Recommend Book
Africa Books
-
W. W. Norton & Company (11 July 2005)Price: $17.82 -
Viking Adult (21 July 2011)Price: $20.83 -
MacMay (11 January 2008)Currently unavailable -
Oxford University Press, USA (19 February 2004)Price: $11.55 -
University of California Press (09 December 2004)Price: $18.03
Comments
|
|
Please log in or register to post comments. Sadly this is necessary due to comment spam.
Add Event
Timeline
Visual Timeline-
813 BCCarthage is founded by Phoenicians.
-
205 BC
-
204 BCScipio Africanus sails over to Africa.
-
202 BCRoman conquest of Carthage, end of the Second Punic War. Peace terms: Carthage loses Iberia, gives Numidia to its King Masinissa, pays 10,000 talents in 50 years, gives all warships to Rome (except 10 triremes), is forbidden to wage war outside Africa, requires Roman approval for wars within Africa.
-
534 AD
Follow us on Google Plus
Follow us on Facebook
Join our LinkedIn GroupTweet
Follow us on Twitter