Roman colonies in North Africa

[1] Indeed under Theodosius I the area east of the Fossa Regia[2] was fully Romanized with one third of the population made of Italian colonists and their descendants, according to historian Theodore Mommsen.

Called the "Granary of the Empire",[3] Romano-Berber North Africa produced one million tons of cereals each year, one-quarter of which was exported.

In addition to the cultivation of slaves, and the capture and transporting of exotic wild animals, the principal production and exports included textiles, marble, wine, timber, livestock, pottery such as African Red Slip, and wool.

[4] The incorporation of colonial cities into the Roman Empire brought an unparalleled degree of urbanization to vast areas of territory, particularly in North Africa.

This flourishing trade allowed the North African provinces to increase artisan production in rapidly developing cities, making them highly organized urban centers.

[5] The urban population became increasingly engaged in the craft and service sectors and less in agrarian employment even in Byzantine times,[6] until a significant portion of the town’s vitality came from the sale or trade of products through middlemen to markets in areas both rural and abroad.

[6] Berber Africa – from northern Morocco to Tripolitania – had a population of more than 3 million inhabitants in the third century, according to historian Hilario Gomez,[7] and nearly 40% were living in more than 500 cities.