The most notable nations of antiquity in western North Africa are Carthage and Numidia.

The
Phoenicians colonized much of North Africa including Carthage and parts of present-day
Morocco (including Chellah, Essaouira and Volubilis[21]). The Carthaginians were
of Phoenicianorigin, with the Roman myth of their origin being that Dido, a Phoenician princess,
was granted land by a local ruler based on how much land she could cover with a piece of
cowhide. She ingeniously devised a method to extend the cowhide to a high proportion, thus
gaining a large territory. She was also rejected by the Trojan prince Aeneas according to Virgil,
thus creating a historical enmity between Carthage and Rome, as Aeneas would eventually lay
the foundations for Rome. Ancient Carthage was a commercial power and had a strong navy, but
relied on mercenaries for land soldiers. The Carthaginians developed an empire in the Iberian
Peninsula and Sicily, the latter being the cause of First Punic War with theRomans.
Over a hundred years and more, all Carthaginian territory was eventually conquered by the
Romans, resulting in the Carthaginian North African territories becoming the Roman province of
Africa in 146 B.C.[22] This led to tension and eventually conflict between Numidia and Rome. The
Numidian wars are notable for launching the careers of both Gaius Marius, and Sulla, and
stretching the constitutional burden of the Roman republic, as Marius required a professional
army, something previously contrary to Roman values to overcome the
talented military leaderJugurtha.[23]
North Africa remained a part of the Roman Empire, which produced many notable citizens such
as Augustine of Hippo, until incompetent leadership from Roman commanders in the early fifth
century allowed the Germanic peoples, the Vandals, to cross the Strait of Gibraltar, whereupon
they overcame the fickle Roman defense. The loss of North Africa is considered a pinnacle point
in the fall of the Western Roman Empire as Africa had previously been an important grain
province that maintained Roman prosperity despite the barbarian incursions, and the wealth
required to create new armies. The issue of regaining North Africa became paramount to the
Western Empire, but was frustrated by Vandal victories. The focus of Roman energy had to be on
the emerging threat of the Huns. In 468 AD, the Romans made one last serious attempt to invade
North Africa but were repelled. This perhaps marks the point of terminal decline for the Western
Roman Empire. The last Roman emperor was deposed in 476 by
the Heruli general Odoacer. Trade routes between Europe and North Africa remained intact until
the coming of Islam. Some Berbers were members of the Early African Church (but evolved their
own Donatist doctrine),[24] some were Berber Jews, and some adhered totraditional Berber
religion. African pope Victor I served during the reign of Roman emperor Septimius Severus