Roman empire strategies of control and integration in North Africa
Keywords:
Roman Empire, North Africa, Romanization, administration, economy, social structure, imperial strategyAbstract
This study examines the complex and multifaceted strategies implemented by Rome to establish, maintain, and consolidate its control over North Africa from the second century BCE to late antiquity. The Roman Empire employed an integrated system that combined military conquest, administrative organization, economic exploitation, cultural assimilation, and social cooperation. Through the creation of colonies, the spread of Latin language and law, the integration of local elites, and the development of agricultural and urban infrastructures, Rome succeeded in transforming North Africa into one of its most prosperous and stable provinces. However, this process of control and integration was neither uniform nor permanent. While urban centers experienced deep Romanization, rural populations retained local traditions and autonomy, creating a dual social and cultural structure. The study concludes that Rome’s success in North Africa rested on a pragmatic balance between domination and collaboration—an approach that ensured centuries of stability but also exposed the limits of imperial integration during times of crisis.
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