Definition:
The Berbers are a modern ethnic group in north Africa and Europe, with a deep history. Berber tribes were an unconquerable presence during the 3rd century BC when the Romans built Volubilis, a fortress outpost in what is now Morocco.
The Berber dynasty called Almoravid ruled most of Africa north of the Sahara and much of the Mediterranean during the 11th and 12th centuries AD. And, today a majority of the people in North Africa speak Berber or Berber dialects.
Sources
This glossary entry is part of the About.com Guide to the Persian Empire, and the Islamic Civilization; as well as part of the Dictionary of Archaeology. Any mistakes are the responsibility of Kris Hirst.
Examples:
Tegdaoust (Mauritania)
