History of Roman-era Tunisia - Roman Province of Africa

Roman Province of Africa

Following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War (149-146), the Roman Republic annexed the city and its vicinity, including rich and developed agricultural lands; their long-time Berber ally Massinissa had died shortly before the fall of the city.

This region became the Roman Province of Africa, named after the Berbers for the Latins knew Afri as a local word for region's Berber people.

Adjacent lands to the west were allocated to their Berber allies, who continued to enjoy recognition as independent Berber kingdoms. At first the old city Utica, north of ruined Carthage, served as provincial capital; yet Carthage was rebuilt eventually.

Africa Province then came to encompass the northern half of modern Tunisia, an adjacent region of Algeria (i.e., all of ancient Numidia), plus coastal regions stretching about 400 km to the east (into modern Libya), known then as Tripolitania.

People from all over the Empire migrated into the Roman Africa Province, most importantly merchants, traders, and mainly veterans in early retirement who settled in Africa on farming plots promised for their military service. Historians like Theodore Mommsen estimated that under Hadrian nearly 1/3 of the eastern Numidia population (roughly modern Tunisia) was descended from Roman veterans.

A sizable Latin speaking population developed that was multinational in background, sharing the region with those speaking Punic and Berber languages.