The Origins of Foreign Trade in Ancient Libya and its Geographical and Historical Dimensions

Abstract

This research examines the origins and development of foreign trade in ancient Libya, the factors that contributed to its flourishing, and its land and sea trade patterns. It highlights Libya's pivotal role as an intermediary region between the Mediterranean world and the interior of Africa, the study also underscores the mutual influence between Libya and neighboring civilizations, particularly the Pharaonic, Phoenician, Greek, and Roman, and the resulting formation of a vast trade network that relied on its central geographical location, diverse natural resources, and the integration of environmental and human factors. The study also shows that control of the oases and caravan routes, especially by the Garamantes in the Fezzan region, formed the real basis of economic influence in the Libyan interior, while coastal ports such as Leptis Magna, Sabratha, Oea, and Cyrene played the role of key trading hubs in linking the interior to Mediterranean markets. The geographical analysis of foreign trade highlights the dual patterns of trade movement: horizontal maritime along the Mediterranean coast and vertical desert linking the coast to the interior of Africa.