AFRICA SECOND STOP LIBYA

Background:

Africa covers 6 per cent of the surface of the Earth and provides 20.4 per cent of Earth’s landmass. Occupying this massive and significant territory there are 1.1 Billion people. Africa is the second largest and second most populous continent on Earth.

LIBYA

We continue our study of Africa, moving from last week’s subject Egypt, to the West  and into Libya. Libya lies on the coast of the Mediterranean and is bounded by Egypt in the East, Tunisia and Algeria in the West and Niger, Chad and Sudan in the South. Libya is the fourth largest country in Africa in area, and seventeenth largest in the world.

Only 2% of the territory of Libya receives sufficient rainfall for stable agriculture. Much of the remaining 98% is part of the Sahara Desert.

The population of Libya is approx.. 6,240,000. Mohammedanism is the dominant religion of the country. The languages spoken are local Arabic, Berber and Italian. There are two large cities – Tripoli with over 1,000,000 people and Benghazi . Libya has the tenth largest proven oil reserves of any country in the world. 

Since the beginning of recorded history, Libya has been occupied by the Berber people. But the country has had Phoenician Trading colonies, and later was variously ruled by the Greeks in city states, then by the Persians, the Egyptians and Greek Egyptians and then the Romans. It became a Christian nation in due course until , in the seventh Century the bloody invasion of the Mohammedans brought it under Arab Mohammedan domination. This was briefly interrupted by the actions of the Spanish and the Knights of Saint John occupying Tripoli until the Ottoman rule began in 1551. It lasted until the Italians invaded in 1911 and they were not removed until the Second World War.In 1951 Libya became an independent Kingdom, but a military coup in 1969 led eventually to the assumption of power by Muammar Gaddafi , more generally known as Colonel Gaddafi. He retained power until 2011 when a Revolution overthrew him and a democratic election led to a new Government and a rival Islamic “Government” of Tripoli.

The deposing of Gaddafi removed from the world stage one of its most colourful characters in his exotic gowns and splendid tents, but he had been a cunning survivor for a long time despite his numerous outrageous actions internationally.

   



 Colonel Gaddafi in military splendour, and entertaining none other than Vladimir Putin in a tent pitched in New York City.



In Roman times, there were extensive settlements across North Africa and the region of modern day  Libya was no exception. Modern day Tripoli gains its name for the region known as Tripolitania for the three great cities within it –Leptis Magna , Oea and Sabratha. The ruins of Leptis Magna are testimony to the greatness and modernity of that Roman city as the image shows. Much has been written about them and the sophistication of their drainage, water storage and other features. The Romans were attracted to the region because of its abundant production of grains- wheat and corn, and Olives and Olive oil and all of this readily accessible to them from Rome’s port of Ostia. The Roman settlements of North Africa became famous for not only produce , but for education and especially the education of lawyers.

                                 Leptis Magna  a small portion of the ruins


In due course it happened that Septimius Severus (ruled AD 193 – the year of the 5 Emperors -to AD 211) became Emperor and he was a native of Leptis Magna.

Reflecting on these ruins and those of a large number of other Roman cities in North Africa, one quickly realises that what seems so powerful and energetic “to-day” can swiftly descend into the rubbish bin of History under the assaults of barbarians.

It is sad to note that just as she has been in the past, Libya is surrounded by strife in Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria , Niger, Chad and Sudan. Most of this strife , as within Libya itself, comes from Mohammedan zealots.