Early classical period North Africa during Antiquity

the late period of ancient egypt refers last flowering of native egyptian rulers after third intermediate period 26th saite dynasty persian conquests and, ending fall of thirty-first (second persian) dynasty conquest of alexander great in 332 bce. after alexander s death in 323 bce, egypt fell ptolemy soter established ptolemaic kingdom in 305 bce.

in 2013, first genetic analysis utilizing next-generation sequencing conducted ascertain ancestral lineage of ancient egyptian individual. dna extracted heads of 5 egyptian mummies. specimens dated between 806 bc , 124 ad, timeframe corresponding late dynastic , ptolemaic periods. researchers observed 1 of mummified individuals belonged mtdna haplogroup i2, maternal clade believed have originated in western asia.

ancient libya , phoenicians

phoenician traders arrived on north african coast around 900 bc , established carthage (in present-day tunisia) around 800 bce. 6th century bce, punic presence existed @ tipasa (east of cherchell in algeria). principal center of power @ carthage, carthaginians expanded , established small settlements (called emporia in greek) along north african coast; these settlements served market towns anchorages. hippo regius (modern annaba) , rusicade (modern skikda) among towns of carthaginian origin on coast of present-day algeria.

as carthaginian power grew, involvement in indigenous population increased dramatically. berber civilization @ stage in agriculture, manufacturing, trade, , political organization supported several states. trade links between carthage , berbers in interior grew , created new punic society speaking punic, territorial expansion resulted in enslavement or military recruitment of berbers , in extraction of tribute others. 4th century bc, berbers formed 1 of largest element, gauls, of carthaginian army.