▁ancient ▁kingdom ▁( not ▁to ▁be ▁confused ▁with ▁the ▁present ▁state ▁of ▁Maur it ania ) ▁dates ▁at ▁least ▁to ▁around ▁ 2 2 5   BC . ▁ ▁Ma ure t ania ▁became ▁a ▁client ▁kingdom ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁in ▁ 3 3 ▁BC . ▁Emperor ▁Claud ius ▁an nex ed ▁Ma ure t ania ▁directly ▁as ▁a ▁Roman ▁province ▁in ▁ 4 4 ▁AD , ▁under ▁an ▁imperial ▁governor ▁( e ither ▁a ▁pro cur ator ▁August i , ▁or ▁a ▁leg atus ▁August i ▁pro ▁pra et ore ). ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁crisis ▁of ▁the ▁ 3 rd ▁century , ▁parts ▁of ▁Ma ure t ania ▁were ▁recon quer ed ▁by ▁Ber ber ▁tribes . ▁Direct ▁Roman ▁rule ▁became ▁conf ined ▁to ▁a ▁few ▁coast al ▁cities , ▁such ▁as ▁Sept um ▁( C e uta ) ▁in ▁Ma ure t ania ▁T ing it ana ▁and ▁Cher ch ell ▁in ▁Ma ure t ania ▁Ca es ari ensis , ▁by ▁the ▁late ▁ 3 rd ▁century . ▁The ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁lost ▁its ▁remaining ▁poss essions ▁in ▁Ma ure t ania ▁after ▁the ▁area ▁was ▁dev ast ated ▁by ▁the ▁V and als ▁in ▁AD ▁ 4 2 9 . ▁After ▁this ▁point , ▁local ▁Mau ro - R oman ▁k ings ▁assumed ▁control ▁( see ▁Mau ro - R oman ▁kingdom ). ▁The ▁Eastern ▁Roman ▁Empire ▁under ▁By z antine ▁control ▁re - est ab lished ▁direct ▁imperial ▁rule ▁of ▁Sept um ▁and ▁T ing i ▁in ▁the