What Roman Africa Reveals about Colonial Power, History, and the Long Memory of Empire

As the owner of a bookstore, people often ask me what I am reading. Well, I just finished a fascinating history book, titled Roman Africa. NOTE: The Romans did not conquer Africa!

It was written (translated) in 1898, by a French colonial official. The author wrote it for French government authorities as an investigation into the Roman conquest of Africa, after the fall of Carthage. His objective was to determine what could be learned from that epoch in order to advance French campaigns into Tunisia and Algeria at the turn of the 18th century.

Things I learned are:

• Africa was not named for Scipio or Leo Africanus. They were named after it because of their successful war campaigns against the people;
• The Carthaginians, initially known as Phoenicians, a Canaanite people of African origin, were colonizers of the region first; and the term "Berber" is a pejorative reference to the people of the region who referred to themselves and their land as Numidia(ns).

This book book is an example of the saying, "every book is new until you have read it." Furthermore, it underscores the principle that people who run the world think comprehensively, and not in terms of years. They think in terms of decades, if not centuries.

(Darren Palmer is a retired public school educator from Atlantic County, NJ and an entrepreneur. Darren has been involved or affiliated with many community based organizations and culturally focused activities. He currently owns L'Ouverture Books found online at louverturebooks.com)

Thanks for reading the whole story!

At Atlantic City Focus, we're committed to providing a platform where the diverse voices of our community can be heard, respected, and celebrated. As an independent online news platform, we rely on a unique mix of affordable advertising and the support of readers like you to continue delivering quality, community journalism that matters. Please support the businesses and organizations that support us by clicking on their ads. And by making a tax deductible donation today, you become a catalyst for change helping to amplify the authentic voices that might otherwise go unheard. And every contribution is greatly appreciated. Join us in making a difference—one uplifting story at a time!

GET UP WITH ATLANTIC CITY FOCUS and RAYMOND TYLER
STARTING MONAY, FEB 10th AT 8AM!