...continent of Africa and the great Arab Nation.It has contributed to Mans hertage as various cultures and civilizations have flourished in this areas since the emergence of Mankind. Libyas history as, in a sense, predestined for it by its strategic location. Throughout the ages, control of Libya as a prerequisite to domination of the Mediterranean and for this reason all the various poers that at some time or another held say over the Mediterranean exercised control over Libya. The long list of Libyas colonizers and conquerors, Persians, Egyptions, Phoenicions, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Vandals, Byzantines, Spandiards, the Knights of St. John, Ottomans, Italians and finally the British indicales the important role Libya played in the moulding of African, Arabic and Mediterranean history. The Phoenicians coming from Tyre and Sidon, developed a civilization that flourished in Oea, Sabratha and Leptis Magna under the domination of Carthage, hile the Greeks, coming from the island of Thera, settled in Cyrene and the surrounding areas. After the death of King Alexander the Great in the early part of the 4 th century B.C.Greek domination of eastern Libya as eakened and the ay became open for the Romans to invade the country. In the year 74 B.C. Libya became a Roman colony. The Vandals occupied southern Europe and then crossed into North Africa in 429 A.D. ith Libya becoming once again the victim of a foreign invader.The Byzatine Christians conquered North Africa in 534 A.D. and hen Libya fell under their domination, an era of Libyan history full of terror and oppression commenced.The tyrannical years of the Byzantines finally ended in 642-643 A.D., hen the Arab Muslims came to Libya to spread Islam. The religion of right and justice,as they say, and Libya became a part of the Islamic Nation, as they say.The Ottoman Empire encompassed Libya from the sixteenth to the tenteeth century, except for a hundred and tenty four years of Carumanli rule.In 1911 Libya as subjected to the Italian invasion for more than 20 years.At the end of the second orld ar 1945, the Americans, British and French took the place of Italy and putting Libya under their domination and planting military bases all over the country.In 1969, a revolution as carried out by a group of officers in the Libyan army ho could not tolerate this insult and ho anted to realize the Libyan peoples dream of a prosperous, developed country, free of foreign control.IV. Great SaharaThe south of Libya has immense desert of dunes and mirages.The Great Libyan Sahara Desert is one of the last true ilderness environments on the planet earth. The oasis in the desert are places of calmness and tranquillity, here you can enjoy ater abundance, shado and palmtrees beauty in gorgeous and peaceful surrounding. They are islands in the Great Sea of Sand.The Libyan desert is a onderful and delightful orld, full of character uniqueness, cultures heritage and simple pleasures. The keynotes of life in the Sahara are vastness, variety and adventure.1. GhadamesOne beautiful oasis ton is Ghadames the southern most out post of the Roman Times, named for its unique Islamic Desert Architecture and social structure beyond hich the dunes stretch for thousands of square miles.2. TripoliTripoli a beautiful city, called the bride of the Mediterranean, is the largest city in the Great Jamahirya.It as founded by the Phoenicians in 1000 B.C. and later absorbed by the Romans.Tripoli or Oea as liberated by the Arab Muslims in 643 A.D. Some of the ruins, bear the marks of the various civilizations that once prospered in the city.In Tripoli you ill find different kind of arch like the Roman era or the Italian era.Aalk in the old market of Tripoli brings images of the past. The Arabic Islamic, local Libyan and Turkish cultures have combined to create Tripolis rich and colourful heritage.V. The archaeological sitesLibyas fabulous scenery, rich and colourfull culture, mild climate and abundance of sun shine, arm and quiet beaches, ild forest,.. this is but a little of hat the intelligent visitor may enjoy. But Libya has also ruins and relicts of the past, all giving evidence of flourishing civilizations hich in many ays are unparalleled.1. Leptis Magna or LibdaLeptis Magna as founded by the Phoenicians in about 1000 B.C. and it as knon by this name to distinguish it from Leptis in Tunisia. Libda is considered one of the oldest Phoenician settlements in North Africa. It prospered through a lively trade on gold, ivory and ild animals.In pre- islamic times it as the capital of the three Libyan cities noadays knon as Tripolis Leptis Magna, Sabratha and Tripoli. For six centuries, the city of Leptis Magna as used as an anchorage by Canaanite ships from Tyre and Sidon during their voyages in the Mediterranean. After the Canaanites, came the Romans 75 B.C., ho built monuments and various public buildings. Including a market place, threatres, temples, baths, a race track, a estling arena, triumphal arches and decorated mosaic floors. In the Byzantine era 533A.D., an outer all and some churches ere built.The principal material used in construction as hard limestone from the surrounding areas, hile marble as imported from Roma, Greece and Asia Minor, and granite columns came from Egypt. The peak of Leptis Magnas architectural splendour, can be placed at about the 2nd century A.D..2. SabrataThe city of Sabrata is located at the Mediterranean coast. It as founded by the Canaanites in the 6th century B.C..Amongst the alls and foundations of public buildings discovered in the city are the market, tribunal, and the domination of Carthage, the main Phoenician settlement in Tunisia till 146 B.C. After the Canaatine, Sabarata as occupied by the Nomidians and then by the Romans in 46 B.C. The forum, the theatre, the tribunal arena, and the public baths are considered among the most prominent features of the the city during Roman times.Sabeata prospered during the third century A.D. and became famous as trading place for the ivory coming from central Africa, through Ghadames and Fezzan. In the year 533 A.D. the Byzantines occupied the city and rebuilt much of it.Sabrata lost its importance ith the advent of Islam in the region 642 A.D. and Tripoli became the most important trade centre in the estern Libya....
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