Ancient region of North Africa, corresponding to present-day northern Morocco and western and central Algeria .
It was settled by the Phoenicians and Carthaginians from the 6th century BC. Its later inhabitants were known to the Romans as the Mauri and Massaeyli. It was annexed to Rome с AD 42 and divided into two provinces. It became virtually independent in the 5th century but was overrun by the Vandal s and then by the Arabs in the 7th century.