Land Ownership, Trade, Feudalism, and Currency in Medieval Libya

Abstract

     The research focuses on studying the economic conditions in Libya during the early medieval period, the impact of the collapse of Roman administration in Libya since the 4th century AD, then the Vandal period, and the circumstances of the commercial and agricultural activities of the population in the province of Tripolis and the Pentapolis region in eastern Libya, as well as the Fezzan region. With the consolidation of Byzantine influence, the Libyan economy revived, and Libya once again became a wheat-exporting country. The local tribes possessed good and unique fields and farms on the outskirts of the Tripolitanian province, which led to a clash of interests with the inhabitants of the coastal cities. Then, the economic situation deteriorated further after the success of the Islamic conquests in the 1st century AH; represented by the clash between the Arabs and the Berbers under the leadership of Al-

Kahina. Fields were destroyed, fortresses and water channels were ruined, farms vanished, and many of the coastal city inhabitants, including Afariq and Christians, migrated towards the islands of the sea. The exodus of farmers and craftsmen from among them naturally affected the region's economy. With the gradual stabilization of Islam, trade revived, agriculture became active, and markets were filled with garments, foods, fruits, vegetables, honey, livestock, wool, and so on. The people consistently provided either Zakat or Jizya to the treasury of the Muslims. It is noteworthy that the country witnessed, during both the Byzantine period and the early Islamic period, the establishment of mints for striking coins in the cities of Tripoli and Barqa, in addition to the mint in Zawila. However, for most periods, coins came from abroad; either late Roman Latin, Vandal, and Byzantine coins, or Umayyad, Abbasid, and Fatimid Arab coins.