Ancient eras It has been suggested, based on archaeological evidence, that this area has been settled since the 4th millennium B.C., and is one of the oldest pre-Saharan settlements. Its situation near a water source in the middle of a desert would have made it an important spot for anyone seeking to settle in the area. The first written records about Ghadames date from the Roman period when the settlement was known as
Cydamus, from which modern Ghadames derives its name. In the 1st century BC, the Roman
proconsul Lucius Cornelius Balbus invaded Cydamus during the reign of emperor
Augustus. A permanent Roman garrison was established during the reign of
Septimius Severus, and the emperor may have visited the settlement around AD 202. However, the Romans withdrew from the area a few decades later during the
Crisis of the Third Century. During the 6th century, a bishop lived in the oasis, after the population had been converted to Christianity by
Byzantine missionaries. It became a stronghold of the
Donatist heresy until
its conquest by Muslim Arabs. During the late 7th century, Ghadames was ruled by the Muslim Arabs. The population quickly converted to
Islam and Ghadames played an important role as base for the
Trans-Saharan trade until the 19th century. The 12th century geographer
Abu Hamid al-Gharnati included Ghadamis among the countries of
Sudan (i.e., countries of black people), a hypothesis that Saad considers possible, as Ghadamis always had settlers representing him in
Timbuktu. Ghadamis was an important town in the
trans-Saharan slave trade.
Etymology The etymology of the name Ghadames is very closely linked with its history. It is believed that the name Ghadames is originally connected to the name of the ancient
Berber tribe of
Tidamensi, a tribe from
Fezzan. It is also believed that the name Tidamensi was corrupted by the invading Romans to form the name Cydamus, which in turn gave way to the name Ghadames. After being captured by the
Libyan National Army, the entire Tuareg community was forced to flee in an act of
ethnic cleansing. == Old Town of Ghadames ==