How did Rome organize Carthaginian territory after the destruction of Carthage?

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Following the destruction of Carthage in 146 BCE by Scipio Aemilianus, Rome annexed the remaining Carthaginian territory and converted it into the Roman province of Africa.12

The organization of this new territory included the following key aspects:

  • Geographic Scope: The province initially comprised the land that had been subject to Carthage as of 149 BCE, covering approximately 5,000 square miles (13,000 square km). It was separated from the kingdom of Numidia in the west by a boundary marked by a ditch and embankment running from Thabraca to Thaenae.3
  • Administration and Population: The region was inhabited by Indigenous Libyans who lived in small villages. While the city of Carthage itself was razed, the surrounding territory eventually became a center for Roman agricultural investment and colonization.34
  • Evolution: Over time, the province underwent significant changes. About 100 BCE, its borders were extended westward. Later, Julius Caesar and the emperor Augustus founded colonies in the region, including a new city of Carthage, which grew to become a major urban center of the Roman Empire.34