"Lepcis Magna", one of the greatest of the Roman cities of North Africa and one of the most famous archaeological sites in the Mediterranean, was situated in the region of Tripolitania. Birthplace of the Emperor Septimius Severus, the city has yielded many well-preserved monuments from its Roman past. Mattingly presents valuable information on the pre-Roman tribal background, the urban centres, the military frontier and the regional economy. He reinterprets many aspects of the settlement history of this marginal arid zone that was once made prosperous, and considers the wider themes of Romanization, frontier military strategy, and economic links between provinces and sources of elite wealth.

    List of Figures, List of Plates, Acknowledgement, Preface, Map of Tripolitana, principal sites, 1. Geography and Climate, 2. The Tribal Background, 3. History, Administration and the infrastructures of government, 4. The Army and Frontier Development, 5. The Archaeology of the Frontier (first-third centuries AD), 6. Cities, Towns and Villages, 7. Economy and Trade, 8. The Cultural Character of Tripolitania, 9. Late Roman Historical Summary, 10. Late Roman Frontier Arrangements, 11. Economy and Culture in Late Roman Tripolitania, 12. De-Romanization and Secession, Notes, Bibliography and Abbreviations.

    Biography

    David J. Mattingly