Africa Vetus

"Africa Vetus" was the first North African territory acquired by Rome in 146 BCE after the destruction of Carthage. Initially, it encompassed about 5,000 square miles around Carthage, primarily in modern-day Tunisia. This province expanded westward over time, and by the 1st century BCE, Julius Caesar and Emperor Augustus established numerous colonies, including the significant Colonia Julia Carthago, which became the second-largest city in the Western Roman Empire. The province's borders were further extended south to the Sahara and east to the Gulf of Sidra. Eventually, "Africa Vetus" was combined with "Africa Nova" (the former kingdoms of Numidia and Mauretania) to form a larger province. This region experienced prosperity for centuries, marked by large estates, public buildings, and flourishing exports, with many inhabitants becoming Romanized and some even entering imperial administration. The province eventually saw the creation of new provinces like Numidia, Byzacena, and Tripolitania.1