▁emp ires ▁from ▁Bab yl onia , ▁Ass y ria , ▁and ▁the ▁Pers ian ▁Empire . ▁ ▁An cient ▁Greece ▁and ▁the ▁arm ies ▁of ▁Alexander ▁the ▁Great ▁( 3 3 6 ▁BC – 3 2 3 ▁BC ) ▁inv aded ▁and ▁conquer ed ▁some ▁parts ▁of ▁North ▁Africa ▁and ▁his ▁gener als ▁set ▁up ▁the ▁P to le ma ic ▁dynast y ▁in ▁Egypt . ▁The ▁arm ies ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Republic ▁( 5 0 9 ▁BC – 3 1 ▁BC ) ▁and ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁( 3 1 ▁BC – AD ▁ 4 7 6 ) ▁subsequently ▁conquer ed ▁the ▁entire ▁coast al ▁areas ▁of ▁North ▁Africa . ▁The ▁people ▁of ▁Car th age ▁fought ▁the ▁blo ody ▁and ▁length y ▁P unic ▁Wars ▁( 2 6 4 ▁BC – 1 4 6 ▁BC ) ▁against ▁Rome . ▁ ▁Each ▁century ▁has ▁seen ▁the ▁invasion ▁of ▁North ▁Africa ▁by ▁various ▁pe op les , ▁emp ires , ▁nations ▁and ▁relig ions , ▁and ▁each ▁in ▁turn ▁yield ed ▁its ▁wars ▁and ▁conflicts . ▁ ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁the ▁ 7 th ▁century , ▁the ▁military ▁vict ories ▁of ▁the ▁Um ay y ads , ▁the ▁Abb as ids , ▁the ▁F at im ids , ▁the ▁Mam lu ks ▁and ▁the ▁Ott om ans ▁ens ured ▁and ▁cons olid ated ▁the ▁strength ▁and ▁continu ity ▁of ▁Islam ▁in ▁North ▁Africa ▁over ▁many ▁centuries . ▁ ▁Att acks ▁by ▁the ▁Barb ary ▁pir ates , ▁based ▁in ▁the ▁North ▁African ▁areas