ABSTRACT

Nearly three thousand years ago the Phoenicians set up trading colonies on the coast of North Africa, and ever since successive civilizations have been imposed on the local inhabitants, largely from outside. Carthaginians, Romans, vandals, Byzantines, Arabs, TUrks, French and Italians have all occupied the region in their time.
The Romans governed this part of Africa for six hundred cities, twelve thousand miles of roads and hundreds of aquaducts, some fifty miles long. The remains of many of these structures can be seen today.
At the height of its prosperity, during the second and third centuries AD, the area was the granary of Rome, and produced more olive oil than Italy itself.
The broadening horizons of the Roman Empire provided scope for the particular talents of a number of Africa's sons: the writers Terence and Apuleius; the first African Roman Emperor Septimius Severus, famous Christian theologians like Tertulllian and Saint Augustine - these are just some who rose to meet the challenges of their age.

chapter 1|16 pages

Between the Desert and the Sea

chapter 2|16 pages

The Rise of Carthage

chapter 3|16 pages

The Wars Between Rome and Carthage

chapter 4|15 pages

New Masters for Africa

chapter 5|15 pages

The Conquest of a Country

chapter 6|21 pages

Granary of the Empire

chapter 7|22 pages

The Six Hundred Cities

chapter 8|10 pages

Careers Open to Talent

chapter 9|12 pages

The First African Emperor

chapter 10|23 pages

The New Religion

chapter 11|19 pages

A Church Divided

chapter 12|10 pages

The Greatest African

chapter 13|13 pages

The Vandal Interregnum

chapter 14|22 pages

Africa Returns to the East