Ἀφρική

Etymology

Formed alongside Latin Africa. Occurs in Ptolemy, Cassius Dio, and later authors. The adjective Ἀφρικανός (Aphrikanós) is older, attested in fragments attributed to Manetho (3rd century BC), as well as in Polybius (died 118 BC), Posidonius, Diodorus Siculus and Plutarchus. The word was received by the Romans from the Carthaginians as the term for their country. The term replaces Λιβύη (Libúē) as the name of the continent (i.e. the part of the world south of the Mediterranean) in the Roman era (from ca. the 1st century AD), but like Λιβύη (Libúē) also remains in use for the more limited area between Egypt and Numidia.

Pronunciation

Proper noun

Ἀφρική • (Aphrikḗ) f (genitive Ἀφρικῆς); first declension

1. The Roman Africa province: the area of North Africa between Numidia and Egypt (corresponding to modern Tunisia and Libya)
   • ca. 220, Cassius Dio, Roman History, 48,1:

     καὶ Καίσαρι μὲν ἥ τε Ἰβηρία καὶ ἡ Νουμιδία, Ἀντωνίῳ δὲ ἥ τε Γαλατία καὶ ἡ Ἀφρικὴ ἐγένετο:

     and Spain and Numidia fell to Caesar, Gaul and Africa to Antony.

2. The continent of Africa