Recent archeological excavations have shown that the present-day territory of Algeria is beyond doubt one of the cradles of humanity. Meynier unveils the fascinating origins of this country in IV- III centuries B.C. and the nation-states it comprised. Despite being largely issued from a Libyco-Berber tradition, these nation-states established commercial, technical and cultural relations with the Near-East, predominantly with the countries bordering the Mediterranean. These Punic and Roman influences were of particular importance in the shaping of the Algeria we know today.

An indispensable guide to understanding a culture and history often simplified to either its colonial past or official history.