Libyan Mission

LIBYA There is no dispute that the first who has recorded the word "LIBYA" or "LUBIA", as reported by some Arab historians, it the hieroglyphic text found among the lefts of the five family from the Antique Egyptian State, where the intention of recording the syllable or drawing it in an exact manner is the reference to a tribe or group of tribes inhabiting west of the Nile river, and to the friction and association between them and the Antique Egyptians.  The previous word text appeared thereafter in more than one Hebrew sources and more than one Phoenician source, though the name launching in both cases, as with Egyptians, was aiming to refer to a specific type of population, without having any determined geographical meaning or sense. It did not appear first, but in the Greek texts, where the poet (Humorous) who was living in the nineteen century before Christ, has preceded in referring the launching of the name "LIBYA" in its famous epic (Iliad), as such with several literaries and poets in subsequent time.

 In the era of the Hellenic historian (Herodotus) the use of the word became much more, which no longer means only the geographical province west of the Nile directly, but extends to refer to all known in the African continent, where the use of the last word was not revealed yet. Here, we are not surprised if (Herodotus) has divided the known world at that time to three continents: Europe, Asia and Libya .

 Dashing therefrom, Libya is giving, today, its name as a tangible historical evidence, witnessing its originality and antiquity, as a land and also as a people.

The human inhabitation origins in Libya refer to the period before Christ or to the last stone age, as from one thousand years to two thousand years before Christ. Such a period has left evidences about the human inhabitation in Libya, represented in the fortune of drawings, rocky engravings in the mountain caverns existing in general in the southern part of the country, which illustrate the mode of life and a group of animals and creatures preceding the transformation of the green lands to desert areas.  Moreover, a group of Libyan population and tribes was living during about the ninth century before Christ, who has trading relations with the Egyptians. Those people have left a rich heritage and evidences about their mode of life.

 Libya was, because of its strategic site, always a target of invaders, where the Phoenicians, attracted by the strategic site of the African north coast, during the seventh century before Christ, were residing in each of Sabratha, Tripoli (Oea), Great Libda near Sirte (Makomadus), and Sultan city (Sharacus). There are little visual evidences for their inhabitation.

 As for Greeks, who were accidentally existing with Phoenicians, they have focused their attention to the eastern part of the country, and erected their five cities, which are Shahat (Gorina), Tukra (Tukhira), Sousse (Appolonia), Tolmetha (Ptolemais), Elmerg (Berka), and other famous cities, like Benghazi (Breenk). After the Roman domination on the Mediterranean sea , the Roman influence spread on the Libyan coast, and fascinating cities were erected in each of Great Libda and Sabratha. Both thereof were used as seaports to trade across the desert for ivory, slaves, precious metal, olive oil and animals trading. Such a trading were prospered by the fall of Ghadames under the Roman hands in the year 19 before Christ, and its development as a stage centre in the middle of desert. About the last of the fourth century, the coastal area of Libya became Christian in addition to the existence of other sects appeared within a given period of the time, and caused several and destroying divisions. Then Libya was exposed for a short period to the occupation of Vandals. By the seventh century after Christ, the Islamic religion took root in the country, after the Islamic victory and conquering of the north Africa.

 Furthermore, Libya has been exposed to a wave of invasions and occupations by several European powers, represented in Sicilians, Spanish and Maltese (Saint Johan Cavaliers), then the country was fall under the domination of the Ottoman Empire, though this was through a series or a group of semi-independent governors, especially the progeny of Elgara Maili, which has been governing Libyan throughout the period as from 1711 up to 1835 after Christ.

 Live in Libya was in general calm relatively until the Italian invasion, in 1911. the events came successive thereafter until the English could spread their domination on Tripoli governorate. The French administration could spread its domination on Fezzan area until granting the country the semi-independence by the United Nation, established in 1952. Due to the downfall of the economic and politic situations in Libya, and public direction towards Arab nationalism prevailing at that time in the Arab nation, The Revolution of the September First in 1969 raised by the leadership of Col/ Muammar Elkaddafi, and the country went to a new era distinguished with huge achievements on a wide extent and different politic, economic and social grounds.