Libya (geography)

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Libya in ancient geography at the time of Herodotus

Libya ( Λιβύη Libye ) referred to in ancient geography North Africa between Aegyptus , Aithiopia and the Atlantic . The area includes the current states of Morocco , Algeria , Tunisia and Libya , whose name is derived from Libya .

Name factor was Libya for the two Roman provinces Libya superior (the Cyrenaica in eastern Libya) and Libya Inferior (between Egypt and Cyrenaica).

As Libyans ( Λίβυες Libyes ) called residents of this extensive and somewhat indefinite area appear in ancient reports as neighbors of both the Carthaginians and the Egyptians, for example the Garamanten , whose descendants are said to be the Tuareg living in the Sahara today . Further tribes mentioned by Herodotus were the Nasamonen , Gindanen , Lotophages , Machlyer , Maxyer , Maker - all nomadic pastoral peoples.

Of the Romans and Byzantines and were Moorish and Numidian Auseer, Gerawa, Gaetuler , masaesyli and massylii counted among the Libyans. Later, the Byzantines and Arabs also included the Hawwara, Kutama , Zenata, Luwata, Matjara, Matmata , Nefzawa, Mazata, Sanhadscha and Wartajdschuma tribes among the Libu Berbers . Luwata is a Berber word for "Libyan".

literature

  • William Bodham Donne:  Libya . In: William Smith : Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London 1854.
  • Klaus Zimmermann: Libyes. In: The New Pauly (DNP). Volume 7, Metzler, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-476-01477-0 , column 151 f.
  • Klaus Zimmermann, Libya. The country south of the Mediterranean as seen by the Greeks, Munich 1999.