Africa Proconsolaris

Provincia Africa Proconsularis
Province of the Roman Empire
← 146 BC–5th century →
The province of Africa within the Roman Empire
Capital		Zama Regia, then Carthago
Historical era		Antiquity
•	Established after the Third Punic War	146 BC
•	Invasion of the Vandals	5th century
Today part of		Tunisia  Libya  Algeria

Africa Proconsularis was a Roman province in north Africa established 146 BC following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisia, the northeast of modern-day Algeria, and the small Mediterranean Sea coast of modern-day western Libya along the Gulf of Sirte. The territory was originally inhabited by the Berber people.

It was one of the wealthiest provinces in the western part of the empire, second only to Italia. Apart from Carthage, other large settlements in the province were Hadrumetum (modern Sousse, Tunisia), capital of Byzacena, Hippo Regius (modern Annaba, Algeria).

Rome's first province in north Africa was established by the Roman Republic in 146 BC, following the Third Punic War. Africa Proconsularis or Africa Vetus (Old Africa), was governed by a proconsul. It is possible that the name "Africa" comes from the Berber word "afer" or "ifri" that designated a tribe.

Utica was formed as the administrative capital. The remaining territory was left in the domain of the Berber Numidian client king Massinissa. At this time, the Roman policy in Africa was simply to prevent another great power from rising on the far side of Sicily.

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