About Tunisia
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During the Republic
Marius was the first Roman general to enlist in his army proletari
(landless citizens); he was chosen Consul an unprecedented seven
times (107, 104-100, 86). The optimate Lucius Cornelius Sulla, later
Consul (88, 80), and Dictator (82-79), had served as quaestor under
the military command of Marius in Numidia. There in 106 Sulla
persuaded Bocchus to hand over Jurgurtha, which ended the war. In 47
B.C. Julius Caesar landed in Africa in pursuit of Pompey's remnant
army, which was headquartered at Utica where they enjoyed the support
of the Numidian King Juba I. Also present was Cato the Younger, a
political leader of Caesar's republican opponents. Caesar's victory
nearby at the battle of Thapsus almost put an end to the civil war.
Cato committed suicide by his sword. Caesar then annexed Numidia (the
eastern region of modern Algeria).
Within the EmpireJuba II was restored to the throne (as King of Mauretania) by Augustus circa 27 B.C. Educated at Rome and obviously a client king, Juba also wrote books about the culture and history of Africa, and a best seller about Arabia, writings unfortunately lost. He married Cleopatra Selene, the daughter of Anthony and Cleopatra. Later, his kingdom was annexed as the Roman Provinces of Mauritania Tingitana and Mauritania Caesaria (approximately modern northern Morocco and the western coast of Algeria). Renaissance of CarthageRebuilding began under the Roman Emperor Augustus and, notwithstanding reported ill omens, Carthage flourished during the 1st and 2nd centuries. It became the Capitol of the Province of Africa. Several new towns were founded, and the older Punic and Berber settlements prospered. Its rich agricultural production made the province wealthy. Merchants came to Africa from all across the Empire; veterans retired to Africa. Before long, a sizable Latin speaking population had come to share the region with those speaking the Punic and Berber languages. The Romans governed well enough that the Province of Africa became fully integrated into the Empire. African Emperors, 193-217
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The province (basically what is now
Tunisia and coastal regions to the east) became the scene of military
campaigns directed by well known Romans. Gaius Marius celebrated his
triumph as a result of successfully finishing Rome's war against
Jugurtha, the Numidian king. A wealthy novus homo and populares,
Septimus Severus (145-211, r.193-211)
was born of mixed Punic Ancestry in Lepcis Magna, Tripolitania (now
Libya) where he spent his youth. Although he was said to speak with a
North African accent, he and his family were long members of the
Roman cosmopolitan elite. His eighteen year reign was noted for
frontier military campaigns. His wife Julia Domna of Emesa, Syria,
was from a prominent family of priestly rulers; as empress in Rome
she cultivated a salon which may have included Ulpian of Tyre, the
jurist of Roman Law. After Severus (whose reign was well regarded),
his son Caracalla (r.211-217) became Emperor; Caracalla's edict of
212 granted citizenship to all free inhabitants of the Empire. Later,
two grand nephews of Severus through his wife Julia Domna became
Emperors: Elagabalus (r.218-222) who brought the black stone of Emesa
to Rome; and Severus Alexander (r.222-235) born in Caesarea sub
Libano (Lebanon). Though unrelated, the Emperor Macrinus (r.217-218)
came from Iol Caesarea in Mauretania (Sharshal, Algeria).
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