Numidia

Under the Roman Republic and Empire, a part of Africa north of the Sahara, the boundaries of which at times corresponded roughly with those of modern Algeria and western part of Tunisia, excluding the area of Carthage. Its earliest inhabitants were divided into tribes and clans and were racially indistinguishable from the other Berber inhabitants of early North Africa. From the 6th century BC, points along the coast were occupied by the Carthaginians, who by the 3rd century BC had expanded into the interior as far as Theveste (Tébessa). Numidians were frequently found in the Carthaginian armies by that time. Their leader, Maninissa (240-148 BC), was largely responsible for the spread of Phoenician culture into this area, and who by skillful management of his link with Rome was able to bring greatly increased prosperity and stability to his community. After 146 BC, thousands of Carthaginians fled to Numidia after the destruction of Carthage. This kingdom, formed by nomads, was converted into a Roman province (Africa Nova) in 46 BC and its chief city was Cirta. Numidia seems to have grown wine and olives very successfully on the plain, and horses and sheep were reared on higher ground. Caesar formed a new province, Africa Nova, from Numidian territory, and Augustus united Africa Nova (New Africa") with Africa Vetus ("Old Africa the province surrounding Carthage); but a separate province of Numidia was formally created by Septimius Severus. There are remains at Lambaesis, Timgad, and Theveste.

Homeland in Algeria and Tunisia of the Roman-period Numidae, whose name Roman authors derived from Greek nomades, ‘nomads’. The Numidae were a group of nomadic Berber tribes, occupying a region of North Africa that corresponds today with the eastern part of Algeria and the western part of Tunisia, excluding the area around Carthage. These tribes achieved a degree of unity under the Hellenistic style kingship of their leader Masinissa (c240-148 bc) who encouraged them to exchange nomadism for agriculture and urbanism. It was Masinissa who was largely responsible for the notable spread of Phoenician culture into this area, and who by skilful management of his link with Rome was able to bring greatly increased prosperity and stability to his community. In 46 BC Numidia became the Roman province of Africa Nova, and from 30 to 25 bc was once again a client kingdom, this time under Juba II. Subsequently it was incorporated into the large province of Roman Africa, and in a final stage, was again separated off by Severus (193-211 ad) as a distinct area. Ancient literary sources mention Numidia particularly for the excellence of its cavalry (which helped to bring Scipio victory at the battle of Zama in 202 bc; see Punic Wars), and for its fíne marble. While probably not as fertile as regions further east, Numidia seems to have grown wine and olives very successfully on the plain, and horses and sheep were reared on the higher ground. The Saharan region to the south was source for a lucrative slave trade, but a line of forts here suggests that trouble from outsider nomadic tribes was never far away, and it is in the face of incursions from these that Roman administration finally collapsed.