Ifriqiya - Definition and Overview

Ifriqiya or Ifriqiyah (Arabic إفريقية) refers in medieval history to an area consisting of most of modern Tunisia and eastern Algeria, roughly equivalent to the Roman province of Africa.

It was bounded on the south by the semidesert areas and salt marshes called el-Djerid. At various times, the rulers of this area also conquered Sicily and parts of mainland Italy, and the western boundary was in continual flux but usually went as far as Bejaia. Its capital was Qayrawan (Kairouan) in central Tunisia.

In modern Arabic, the term simply means Africa. It derives from the Latin term Africa, of uncertain (either Berber, Punic, or Greek) origin (see that article.)

See also

• Aghlabid
• Zirid
• Hafsid
• Maghreb
• Afariqa