The
history of North Africa during the period of Classical Antiquity (c. 8th century BCE – 5th century CE) can be divided roughly into the
history of Egypt in the east, the history of
Ancient Libya in the middle and the history of Numidia and Mauretania in the West. The
Roman Republic established the province of
Africa in 146 BCE after the defeat of
Carthage. The
Roman Empire eventually controlled the entire Mediterranean coast of Africa, adding
Egypt in 30 BCE,
Creta et Cyrenaica in 20 BCE, and
Mauretania in CE 44.