The area designated as North Africa probably varied from writer to writer. In terms of history, North Africa comprised Barbery States of Tripolitania, (Libya), Tunisia, Algeria and morocco. The area had been variously known as the Barbary by the Greeks, and Romans and the Maghrib (That is the west or the land of the setting sun) by the Arabs. The area was bounded by the Mediterranean sea in the North and the Atlantic Oceans in the west. The boundaries are difficult to fix in the south but berbary reached far into the desert. Here in the south, some Berbers districts situated in the Sahara had boundaries with the Negroes of the western Sudan. In the east, Barbery reached the boarders of Egypt.
The history of this area during the period under study was full of various conquests by foreigners. This course will give a brief survey or description of the land and the people. The inhabitants were mainly Berbers. The origin, culture and political configuration of the Berbers would be discussed in this course. The Berbers, though war-like, were not united. Therefore, they were defeated by many foreigners such as the Carthagenians, the Romans, the Vandals, the Arabs, the Turks and the European. All these invades had impact on the history of this region.
COURSE OBJECTIVE
At the end the course, students should be able to:
- Identify area known as North Africa
- Mention the countries that make up North Africa.
- Describe the original inhabitants of North Africa.\Identify the various conquerors of North Africa.
- Explain the reason for the easy conquest of North Africa.
- Discuss the impact of the various conquest on the history of North Africa.
