Tripolitana

• Tripolitana was a Roman Province which was located in northwestern Libya.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
  • c. 185-20,000 BCE, the Sahara had a Mediterranean Climate and there were Rivers, Lakes, Forests, Vegetation and Wildlife with Giraffes, Elephants and Crocodiles. It received the Monsoon rains.
  • 8,000 BCE, a Neolithic People arrived on the Coast and left Rock Paintings at Wadi Mathendous, and at other sites, which portray the Wildlife and Lakes.
  • The Berbers then occupied the area, and in the Fezzan, south of Tripolitania, they had by 500 BCE set up the Garamantes Kingdom, a powerful Empire that lasted until 700 CE.
  • The Garamantes controlled the Trans Saharan Trade Routes to Kingdoms in Africa like Agisymba.
• Acquisition by Rome:
  • 146-46 BCE  After the Fall of Carthage, it was initially handed to the Kings of Numidia. and named Regio Syrtica.
• Timeline of this Province:
• Under The Republic:
  • Tripolitania remained nominally independent whilst eastern Libya, Cyrenaica, was bequeathed to Rome in 96 BCE.
  • After 46 BCE, it was ruled from Africa Proconsularis until Septimius Severus (193-211 CE), who renamed the Province as Regio Tripolitania.
• After Augustus reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
  • 19 BCE Septimius Flaccus invaded the Garamantes from Tripolitania.
  • 50 CE Suetonius Paulinus invaded the Garamantes again and converted the Kingdom into a Roman Client Kingdom which lasted until the third century CE. He used a Roman Camel Corps to cross the Sahara.
  • 193-211 CE Septimius Severus became Emperor and renamed the Province, Regio Tripolitania.
• After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE):
  • The Province of Tripolitania was ruled under the Diocese of Africa.
• After the Death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the split into Eastern and Western Empire:
  • 439 CE Geiseric, King of the Vandals, conquered Tripolitana.
  • 534 CE Belisarius reconquered it for the Byzantine Empire.
  • 642-670 CE it was absorbed into the Arab Empire of the Rashidun Caliphate.
• Famous Persons from this Province:
  • Septimius Severus (Roman Emperor)
    • He came from Leptis Magna and spoke Latin and Punic (the same language as Hannibal).
• Chief archeological Finds:
  • Leptis Magna, (Ruins) a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
  • Oea, The Arch of Marcus Aurelius.
  • Sabratha (Ruins).
• Historic Battle Sites:
• Main Historical Sources for this Province:

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • Leptis Magna (Ruins)
    • It was the third greatest African city after Alexandria and Carthage.
• Chief Cities:
  • Tripolitania meant ‘The Three Cities’:
    1. Oea (Tripoli),
    2. Sabratha
    3. Leptis Magna.
       • And Meninx, a city on the island of Djerba.
• Location Today:
  • Northwest Libya
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Cyrenaica (East), Africa Proconsularis (west)
• Climate and Temperature Today: Two Climate influences:
  • Mediterranean Climate:
    • Cool moist Summers and mild warm Winters along the Sea Coast.
  • Sahara:
    • Towards the Interior.
    • Day Temperatures 40-50°C Night Temperatures 30-40°C Cooler between October and April. Sahara night temperatures can drop to sub-zero.
    • Some rainfall between January and March, when flowers actually appear in the Desert.
  • The Ghibli:
    • This is a southern wind lasting 1-4 days and brings Dust Sandstorms, during Spring and Autumn.

• Main Geographical features:
  • Fertile coastline
    • The coastline has plenty of moisture for agriculture in contrast to the parched Sahara Desert to the south.
  • Sahara Desert
    • The Terrain consists mostly of barren Plains, Depressions, Plateaus with Sand dunes only forming a small part.
    • The Jifarah Plain reaches 74 miles (120km) inland to the Nafusa Mountains.
  • North African Plateau:
    • Tripolitania forms part of the North African Plateau which stretches from the Atlantic to the Red Sea.

• Main Rivers:
• Mountain Ranges:
• Islands:
  • Djerba (Girba)
    • An island in the Bay of Syrtis Minor. Pliny the Elder stated that it was a great producer of the purple dye Murex.

3. Political Organisation

• Province Type:
  • Senatorial Province,
    • It was attached after 46 BCE to the Province of Africa Vetus, later Africa Proconsularis.
• Governor:
  • Proconsul of Africa
• Tribes and Population:
  • Berber, Phoenician, Greek, Italian
• Language:
  • Latin
  • Punic

4. Military Organisation

• Legions:
  • Protected by units from Legio III Augusta in Lambaesis (Algeria)
• Navy:
• Defensive Works:
  • Limes Tripolitanus
  • Centenaria: these were fortified farmhouses along the Limes Tripolitanus, and numbered over 2,000.
• Main Threats:
  • Desert Tribe Raids.

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
  • Grain, Olive Oil, also Gold and Slaves from the Garamantes.
• Agriculture and Fishing:
• Manufacturing:
• Mines:
• Mints:

6. Transport

• Roads:
  • North African Roman Road
• Waterways:
• Ports:
  • Leptis Magna, Oea, Sabratha
• Ancient Trade Routes:
  • Trans Saharan Trade Routes
    • south from Leptis Magna to the Sahel African Kingdoms, such as Agisymba, via the Kingdom of the Garamantes
• Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:

7. Relationship with Rome

• Wealthy Loyal Province, defended by the Limes Tripolitanus from Saharan Berber Garamantes raids.
• Its importance lay in being the northern Terminus for the Trans Saharan Trade Routes from the Sahel African Kingdoms like Agisymba, controlled by the Garamantes.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

• Pope Victor I (181-191 CE) came from Leptis Magna and was probably its Bishop.
  • In Rome the Mass was conducted in Greek, Victor was the first to change it to being said in Latin. Probably because he used Latin for Mass and other services at Leptis Magna.

10. Roman Authors describing this Province

12. Films

• IMDb Legend of the Lost (1957)
  • Starring John Wayne and Sophia Loren and filmed in the Ruins of Leptis Magna.
• IMDb The Black Tent (1956)
  • Starring Donald Sinden, Anthony Steel and Anna Maria Sandri. Much of the Film is set in the Ruins of Sabratha.

Tripolitana