← All documentaries

Kings, queens and courts: the Amazigh of North Africa

A ten‑minute portrait of Amazigh rulers, their palaces and symbols of power from ancient Numidia to the Almohad era.

Chapters

• 0:07 Foundations of Amazigh Kingdoms
• 1:52 Royal Courts and Palaces
• 3:37 Regalia, Symbols and Coinage
• 5:04 Later Dynasties and Cultural Memory

On-screen text

• 0:07 Foundations of Amazigh Kingdoms
• 0:14 Foundations of Amazigh Kingdoms
• 0:31 Masinissa’s royal title at Thugga Historical record · Inscription of King Masinissa at Thugga (c. 150 BCE)
• 0:49 Cassius Dio on Numidia The Institute's interpretation · Cassius Dio, Roman History (c. 220 CE)
• 1:07 Strabo on Berber towns Historical record · Strabo, Geography (c. 7 BCE)
• 1:25 Ptolemy’s Mauri region Historical record · Ptolemy, Geography (2nd c.)
• 1:43 Tanit stela mentions Berber king Historical record · Carthaginian stela of Tanit, Carthage Museum
• 1:52 Royal Courts and Palaces
• 1:59 Royal Courts and Palaces
• 2:16 Juba II in Roman attire Historical record · Bronze statue of Juba II, Louvre Museum
• 2:34 Royal hunt mosaic Historical record · Mosaic of the ‘Royal Hunt’ from Volubilis (2nd‑3rd c. CE)
• 2:52 Almohad palace courtyard Historical record · Archaeological remains of the Almohad palace at Tinmel (12th c.)
• 3:10 Aghlabid reception hall Historical record · Aghlabid palace ruins in Kairouan, Tunisia (9th c.)
• 3:28 Yusuf ibn Tashfin’s minbar Historical record · Almoravid minbar of the Great Mosque of Tlemcen (12th c.)
• 3:37 Regalia, Symbols and Coinage
• 3:44 Regalia, Symbols and Coinage
• 4:01 Crowned figure in Mauretania tomb Historical record · Royal Tomb of Mauretania (Mogador), 2nd‑3rd c. CE
• 4:19 Juba I’s coin imagery Historical record · Silver coin of Juba I, British Museum
• 4:37 Royal hunt mosaic Historical record · Mosaic of the ‘Royal Hunt’ from Volubilis (2nd‑3rd c. CE)
• 4:55 Juba II in Roman attire Historical record · Bronze statue of Juba II, Louvre Museum
• 5:04 Later Dynasties and Cultural Memory
• 5:11 Later Dynasties and Cultural Memory
• 5:28 Yusuf ibn Tashfin’s minbar Historical record · Almoravid minbar of the Great Mosque of Tlemcen (12th c.)
• 5:46 Almohad palace courtyard Historical record · Archaeological remains of the Almohad palace at Tinmel (12th c.)
• 6:04 Almohad court language The Institute's interpretation · Ibn Idhari, al‑Bayan al‑Mughrib (13th c.)
• 6:22 Poetic praise of Berber sultans Tradition / scripture · Poem of al‑Muʿtamad, 11th c. Andalusian poet

Sources

Historical record: Inscription of King Masinissa at Thugga (c. 150 BCE) · Strabo, Geography (c. 7 BCE) · Ptolemy, Geography (2nd c.) · Carthaginian stela of Tanit, Carthage Museum · Bronze statue of Juba II, Louvre Museum · Mosaic of the ‘Royal Hunt’ from Volubilis (2nd‑3rd c. CE) · Archaeological remains of the Almohad palace at Tinmel (12th c.) · Aghlabid palace ruins in Kairouan, Tunisia (9th c.) · Almoravid minbar of the Great Mosque of Tlemcen (12th c.) · Royal Tomb of Mauretania (Mogador), 2nd‑3rd c. CE · Silver coin of Juba I, British Museum

Tradition / scripture: Poem of al‑Muʿtamad, 11th c. Andalusian poet

The Institute's interpretation: Cassius Dio, Roman History (c. 220 CE) · Ibn Idhari, al‑Bayan al‑Mughrib (13th c.)

Sound: synthesized ambient (wind, drone, water) (CC0 — made by SoapBox). Made in 151 s of CPU.