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[German version] (Βυζάκις or Βυσσᾶτις; Byzákis, Byssâtis). Originally probably the region between Neapolis (Zeugitana) and Thapsus, including the hinterland, and the Sahel of Sousse with the plains of Kairouan. B. is probably derived from the Βύζαντες ( Býzantes) (Steph. Byz. s.v.). From Punic times onwards, B. was renowned for its rich yields of wheat and olives (Ps.-Scyl. 110 [GGM 1, 88f.]; Pol. 3,23,2; Varro, Rust. 1,44,2; Bell. Afr. 97,3; Plin. HN 5,24; 17,41; 18,94; Sil. Pun. 9,204f.; Plut. Caesar 55,1; App. Lib. 33,139). The …

[German version] Berber tribe, whose numerous clans lived in the area between the Syrtis Minor and the Atlantic Ocean. Source references: Str. 2,5,33; 17,3,2; 9; 19; Mela 1,23; 3,104; Plin. HN 5,9f.; 17; 30; 43; Apul. Apol. 24,1; 41,4; Dimensuratio provinciarum 25; Aug. De ordine 2,5,15; Aug. In psalmos 148,10; Divisio orbis terrarum 26; Steph. Byz. s.v. Γαιτοῦλοι; Anon. Geographia compendiaria 15 (GGM II 497); Eust. epit. de commentariis in Dionysium Periegeten 215 (GGM II 254). A branch of the G., who had intermarried with black Africans, was called the Melanogaitoûloi (Μελανογαιτο…

[German version] (Κυρηναία; Kyrēnaía, Lat. Cyrenae). North-east African coastal region of the Cyrenaea (mod. Cyrenaica) with western border at  Arae [2] Philaenorum/Φιλαίνων Βωμοί (mod. Ras el-Aáli) [1. 73f., 469] and its eastern one near  Catabathmus megas (mod. Solum); cf. Str. 17,3,22 [2. 509f.]. The region took its name from the Theraean   apoikía Cyrene.  Cyrene was part of the Libyan  pentapolis, together with Barca (mod. Barka), later outstripped by Ptolemaïs (mod. Tolemaide), also Euhesperides, later Berenice (mod. Be…

[German version] Town in Mauretania Caesariensis, c. 100 km south-south-west of Icosium, modern Médéa. Literary evidence: Ptol. 4,2,27 (Λαβδία; Labdía); CIL VIII Suppl. 3, 22567 ( Lambdienses); Concilia Carthaginiensia anno 411, 1,201,8 ( Lambiensis); Notitia episcoporum Mauretaniae Caesariensis 46a ( Ambiensis). Epigraphical evidence: CIL VIII 2, 9239-9246; 10443. Sparse ruins are preserved. Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography AAAlg, sheet 14, no. 48 H. Dessau, s.v. L., RE 12, 542.

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[German version] Town in Mauretania Sitifensis, at a road junction south-west of Sitifis: the modern Ouled-Agla or Lecourbe; in Tab. Peut. 2,1 referred to as Equeheto. The town was a municipium by the time of Alexander Severus at the latest [1. 567 no. 29]. Inscr.: CIL VIII 2, 8810-8825; 9045; 10427-10430; Suppl. 3, 20606; Suppl. 4, 22658,5. Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography 1 Bull. Archéologique du Comité des Travaux Historiques, 1897. …

[German version] (Μασαισύλιοι; Masaisýlioi). West Numidian tribe in Mauretania Caesariensis (between the River Mulucha and Cape Bougaroun): Pol. 3,33,15; Liv. 28,17,5; Str. 17,3,9; Plin. HN 5,19; 52; 21,77. For its localization in Mauretania Tingitana: Plin. HN 5,17; Ptol. 4,2,17. Among the kings of the M. were Syphax (Punic Spq), Vermina (Punic Wrmnd) and Arcobarzanes. Libyes, Libye Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography J. Desanges, Catalogue des tribus africaines ... , 1962, 62.

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[German version] Berber tribe in Mauretania Caesariensis. According to Plin HN 5,21, the river ( flumen) Usar (modern Oued Isser?) separated the gens of the N. from the gens of the Macurebi. In Tab. Peut. 2,2-4, the N. are placed to the south of the Mons Ferratus, the Djurdjura mountain range (Kabylei). They probably belonged to the confederacy of the Quinquegentiani. Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography J. Desanges, Catalogue des tribus africaines ..., 1962, 65f.  F. Windberg, s.v. Nabades, RE 16, 1449f.

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Africa | | Africa | Limes Main town of the  Garamantes, northeast of Mursuk (Fezzan), modern Djerma. References: Plin. HN 5,36; Ptol. 1,8,5; 10,2; 4,6,30; 8,16,7; Solin. 29,5. L. Cornelius Balbus, procos. Africae, led an expedition in 20 BC that certainly reached Garama. …

[German version] (Κάρπις; Kárpis). Punic settlement on the western base of the Bon peninsula (probably near Mraïssa). Sources: Plin. HN 5,24; Ptol. 4,3,7; Geogr. Rav. 37,49; 88,39; Guido 132,60). C. rose to become a colonia in around AD 1 (CIL VIII Suppl. 4, 25417). Inscriptions: CIL VIII 1, 993-998; Suppl. 1, 12454f.; Suppl. 4, 24106f. Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography C. Lepelley, Les cités de l'Afrique romaine 2, 1981, 281f. P. Trousset, s.v. C., EB, 1779f.

[German version] In the narrower sense, the region that stretches west of the Carthaginian territory between the Tusca and Ampsaga rivers, today part of eastern Algeria. The Greeks interpreted the name of the Libyan people of N. living in this area in the sense of nomádes (νομάδες, ‘people who roam’) and so called this region Nomadía (Νομαδία; [1; 2. 95f.]; Pol. 36,16,7). However, most of the N. had already been settled for a long time. The plateau of N. is bordered in the north by the foothills of the Tell Atlas and in the south by the Sahara Atlas. In the east, the country is bordered by a massif in which the Tell Atlas and the Sahara Atlas join. Pol. 1,19,1-5 and 3,72,10, Str. 17,3,7 and Procop. Vand. 2,13, for example, emphasise the military importance of the Numidian cavalry. The nomadic N. lived in huts made of reeds and straw that were on wheels ( mapalia, Sall. Iug. 18,8). In this way, they were able to move from place to place with their herds more easily. The N. buried their dead in hillside tombs that were associated with stone monuments. Their religion was partly characterised by magical ideas (Cass. Dio 60,9,4; Aug. Serm. 196,4). Aside from their own gods Aulisua (CIL VIII 2, 9906; 9907), Motmanius (CIL VIII 1, 2650) and Iocolon (CIL VIII Suppl. 1, 16809), they worshipped - under Punic influence [3] - Baal Hamon (Saturnus) and Tinnit (Caelestis). I…

[German version] City in Africa Tripolitana on the Zarris peninsula, modern Ziane (Ptol. 4,3,12: Ζεῖθα ἄκρα/ Zeîtha ákra; It. Ant. 60,2: Ponte Zita; Tab. Peut. 6,5: Ziza; Geogr. Rav. 37,41: Z.; CIL VIII Suppl. 1, 11002-11016; 4, 22690 = [1. 12]). The name of the city is sometimes derived from the Phoenician word zt ('olive'). Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography 1 A. Merlin et al. (eds.), Inscriptions latines d'Afrique, 1923. M. Leglay, s. v. Z., RE 10 A, 460 f.

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Theatre | Africa | | Coloniae | Africa | Rome City in Mauretania Caesariensis, modern Sétif in Algeria (Σίτιφα/ Sítipha, Ptol. 4,2,34; Sitifi, It. Ant. 24,7), from the time of Nerva colonia Nerviana Augusta Martialis veteranorum Sitifensium (cf. CIL VIII 2, 8473 et passim). Before AD 288 S. was a centre of the newly created province of Mauretania Sitifensis. A population of a Punic character also lived in S.. In AD 372 S. was the headquarters of the imperial troops in the campaig…

[German version] (Βαρβαρία; Barbaría). Somalian north coast, according to Peripl. M. Erythraei 3; 7 (GGM 1, 261; 263). There were no ports, but good landing places, like Aualites, Malao, Mundu, Mosylon and Aromata. Also cf. Cosmas Indikopleustes (2,26; 29; 45; 48; 49; 50; 64) for the location. The name B. appears to have been preserved in the name of the city Berbera, the old emporium Malao (Ptol. 4,7,10). Behi…

[German version] (Φαρούσιοι; Pharoúsioi). A nomadic North African people whom Strabo (2,5,33; 17,3,3; 7) always mentions together with the Nigritae (cf. Sall. Iug. 18: Persae; Mela 1,22; 3,103; Plin. HN 5,43: Gymnetes Pharusi…

[German version] Town in Mauretania Tingitana, north-west of Volubilis, perhaps identifiable with Souk el-Arba of Sidi Slimane. Evidence: Mela 3,107; Ptol. 4,1,13 (Σίλδα; Sílda); It. Ant. 23,4; Steph. Byz. s.v. Γίλδα; Geogr. Rav. p. 43,3 (?). Huß, Werner (Bamberg) Bibliography M. Euzennat, Les voies romaines du Maroc ..., in: M. Renard (ed.), Hommages à A. Grenier II (Coll. L…

[German version] This item can be found on the following maps: Theatre (Punic 'ltbrš). Native city of Africa proconsularis (other forms of the name [5. 1697]), 37 km south-southeast of El-Kef, today Henchir Medeina. A. had strong Punic elements [4. 295-297; 2. 19-24; 3; 6. 60; 1. 17 f., pl. IV 2]. This could be due partially to the location of A. on the…

[German version] Town in Numidia, north-northwest of Lambaesis, mod. Aïn Zana. Documentary evidence: It. Ant. 34,3 ( Diana); 35,4 ( Diana Veteranorum); Tab. Peut. 3,1 ( ad Dianam). The town, which was probably only founded in Roman times, started out as a very simple settlement with a community council (CIL VIII 1, 4587, AD 141) and was only elevated to a …

[German version] (Μάσικες; Másikes, Μάζικες; Mázikes). Name of several North African peoples (Anon. Cosmographia 1,39 = GLM 88). It corresponds roughly to the modern term ‘Berber’. The M. have been localized in Mauretania Tingitana (south of the territory of the Metagonitae: Ptol. 4,1,10), in Mauretania Caesariensis (CIL VIII 1, 2786; 2, 9613; Ptol. 4,2,19; Provinciarum omnium laterculus Veronensis 14,3 = GLM 129; Amm. Marc. 29,5,17; 21; 25f.; 51; Iulius Honorius, Cosmographia A 48) and south of the province of Africa (Liber generationis, Chron. min. 1,107,197: between Afri qui e…