ABSTRACT
Successive waves of invaders, from Phoenicians to Greeks to Romans to Arabs
to Turks to Italians, left their mark on the landscape and people of Libya. An
understanding of the impact of the various stages of history on contemporary
Libya is crucial to a broader discussion of its economic, social, and political
development. In common with most states, the historical development of Libya
combines continuity and change, with continuity dominating some periods and
change the predominant theme of others.
