Africa Province: Encyclopedia II - Africa Province - History

Africa Province - History

For further information see Numidia and Mauretania.

It was the site of the ancient city of Carthage as well as other large cities in that era, such as Hadrumetum (modern Sousse, Tunisia), capital of Byzacena, Hippo Regius (modern Annaba, Algeria). The pronvince was established following the Third Punic War, by annexing the remaining Carthaginian territory not confiscated after previous defeats by the Romans. Rome established its first African colony, Africa Vetus (Old Africa), in the most fertile part of what was formerly Carthaginian territory, and established Utica as the administrative capital. The remaining territory was left in the domain of the Numidian client king Massinissa. At this time, the Roman policy in Africa was simply to prevent another great power to rise on the far side of Sicily. In 118 BC Numidian prince Jugurtha attempted the reunification of the smaller kingdoms under his rule. However upon his death much of Jugurtha's territory was placed in the control of the Mauretanian client king Bocchus and the romanization of Africa was now firmly rooted. The civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompey briefly brought North Africa into the Roman spotlight once again.

Several political and provincial reforms were implemented by Augustus and later by Caligula, but Claudius finalized the territorial divisions into official Roman provinces. The region remained a part of the Roman Empire until the great Germanic migrations of the 5th century AD. The Vandals overran the area by 429 and Roman administrative presence came to an end.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki