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The Roman Empire dominated the whole Mediterranean basin. In Africa, is was never really interested in the lands beyond the Mediterranean coastline, inside the continent. However, at the beginning of the 3rd Century, Emperor Septimius Severus, who had Libyan Amazigh origins, briefly conquered new territories, extending his domination on parts of the Sahara.
Before Septimius Severus
The Southern border of Roman Africa was among the most dangerous borders of the Empire, with frequent attacks by Amazigh tribes from the Sahara. To fight these insurgencies, the Romans even created a special military province in Southern Numidia, with as its capital Lambaesis (Tazoult).
In 19 BCE, Lucius Cornelius Balbus, proconsul of Africa, invaded the oasis of Cydamus (Ghadames), previously inhabited by the Garamantes. From Cydamus, he launched an expedition to explore the Sahara, all the way to the Niger River. Before Septimius Severus, Roman control over Cydamus was limited.
The African campaign of Septimius Severus
After his victory against the Persians, Septimius Severus decided to secure the Southern border of his Empire, in his native Africa. He started by installing a military garrison in Cydamus, from where he launched a military campaign against the Garamantes. He first took the Garamantian cities of Garbia and Gholaia (Bu Njem), to the South of Leptis Magna, where he established military camps. In 202, he conquered Garama, the capital of the Garamantes, and took control of their territory.
Septimius Severus also enlarged the territory of Roman Numidia, by conquering large parts of the territory of the Getules.
After his African campaign, Septimius Severus fortified the whole Saharan border, so that the nomadic tribes of the Sahara could no longer attack Roman Africa, and then flee into the desert.
Septimius Severus’ conquests did not last long: the Romans were unable to defend their new territories, as they weren’t used to the desert climate. The Garamantes quickly took back all their territory, including Cydamus.
