Roman Africa

Roman Africa was an empire in Maghreb (North and West Africa) that lasted from 146 BCE to 439 CE, about 584 years. Its people spoke Latin and Romance languages (Latin, Italic, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian).

Rome's provinces from Cyrenaica to Mauretania, a breadbasket of olive oil and grain with cities like Leptis Magna and Timgad. Africa gave Rome the emperor Septimius Severus and Augustine of Hippo.

See Roman Africa on the interactive timeline

Facts

Dates

146 BCE to 439 CE

Duration

584 years

Type

Empire

Region

Maghreb, North and West Africa

Language family

Latin and Romance

Capital

Carthage

Came from

• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE
• Cyrene and the Greek Pentapolis 631 to 96 BCE
• Numidia 202 to 46 BCE
• Mauretania c. 300 BCE to 44 CE

Became

• Vandal Kingdom 435 to 534 CE

Events in North and West Africa during its time

• 146 BCE Destruction of Carthage
• 30 BCE Death of Cleopatra
• 330 Aksum adopts Christianity

Neighbours in North and West Africa

• Ghana Empire (Wagadu) c. 300 to 1200 CE
• Kingdom of Aksum c. 100 to 940 CE
• Carthage c. 814 to 146 BCE
• Ptolemaic Kingdom 305 to 30 BCE
• Kingdom of Kush (Meroitic period) c. 300 BCE to 350 CE
• Roman Egypt 30 BCE to 395 CE
• Numidia 202 to 46 BCE
• Vandal Kingdom 435 to 534 CE
• Garamantes c. 500 BCE to 700 CE
• Cyrene and the Greek Pentapolis 631 to 96 BCE

Elsewhere in the world at the same time

• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Europe
• Byzantine Empire 395 to 1453 CE, Middle East
• Moche (Mochica) c. 100 to 800 CE, South America
• Teotihuacan c. 100 BCE to 550 CE, Mesoamerica and Caribbean
• Tiwanaku c. 400 to 1000 CE, South America
• Roman Republic 509 to 27 BCE, Europe
• Parthian Empire 247 BCE to 224 CE, Middle East
• Sasanian Empire 224 to 651 CE, Middle East
• Roman Empire 27 BCE to 395 CE, Europe
• Kushan Empire c. 30 to 375 CE, South Asia

Questions