Germa

{{other places}} {{Cleanup|reason=The article needs to be organised into sections.|date=July 2025}} {{Infobox settlement   |official_name = Germa |other_name = |native_name = {{lang|ar|جرمة}} |nickname = |settlement_type =  |motto =  |image_skyline = Garma (Garama) - Ruinen der antiken Stadt Garma 02.jpg |imagesize = |image_caption = Ruins of Germa |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map = Libya |pushpin_label_position =bottom |pushpin_map_caption =Location in Libya | pushpin_relief = 1  |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = 25px Libya |subdivision_type1 = Region |subdivision_name1 = Fezzan |subdivision_type2 = District |subdivision_name2 = Wadi al Hayaa |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 =  |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 =  |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title =  |established_date = |established_title2 =  |established_date2 = |established_title3 =  |established_date3 =  |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =Imperial  |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 =  |area_land_km2 =  |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank1_sq_mi =  |population_as_of =2006 |population_footnotes =<ref>Amraja M. el Khajkhaj, "Noumou al Mudon as Sagheera fi Libia", Dar as Saqia, Benghazi-2008, p. 121.</ref> |population_note = |population_total =4,839 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title =Ethnicities |population_blank1 = |population_blank2_title =Religions |population_blank2 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  |timezone = UTC + 2 |utc_offset = |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |coordinates = {{coord|26.544|N|13.064|E|region:LY|display=inline,title}} |elevation_footnotes =  |elevation_m = |elevation_ft =  |postal_code_type =  |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = |blank_info = |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }}

'''Germa, Jerma, Jarma, Djourma, Djerma, Djarma''' ({{langx|ar|جرمة}}), known in ancient times as '''Garama''', is an archaeological site in Libya. It was the capital of the Garamantian Kingdom.

== Etymology == Germa and the Garamantes tribe are named after their mythical founder Garamas.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Galanti|first=Giorgio|url=https://www.google.dz/books/edition/Country_Series_Libya/qOsziBRur0cC?hl=fr&gbpv=1&bsq=Garamas+libya&dq=Garamas+libya&printsec=frontcover|title=Country Series - Libya|date=2004|publisher=White Star|isbn=978-88-540-0023-0|language=en}}</ref>

== History == The Garamantes were a Saharan people<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tdm4CwAAQBAJ&dq=garmantian+mattingly&pg=PA381 | isbn=978-88-7814-594-8 | title=Life and death of a rural village in Garamantian Times. Archaeological investigations in the oasis of Fewet (Libyan Sahara) | date=December 2013 | publisher=All’Insegna del Giglio }}</ref> living in the Fezzan in the northeastern Sahara Desert. Garamantian power climaxed during the second and the third centuries AD, often in conflict with the Roman Empire to the north. Garama had a population of some four thousand and another six thousand living in villages within a 5 km radius.

The Garamantes often conducted raids across Rome's African frontier, the ''Limes Tripolitanus'', and retreated to the safety of the desert. In 203, Roman Emperor Septimius Severus launched a campaign deep into the Sahara and captured Garama, but he soon abandoned it.<ref>Birley, Anthony. ''Septimius Severus, the African emperor''. (2000), p. 153</ref>

While some sources assert that the city was conquered by Uqba ibn Nafi in 669 AD,<ref>Salem Mohammed ez Zawam, "Mu’jam al Amakin al Jughrafiya fi Libia", Dar wa Maktabat ash Sha’b, Misratah, 2005, p.51.</ref> other sources{{Which|link=Wikipedia:Avoid weasel words|date=June 2025}} negate the claim that the city was conquered by Uqba ibn Nafi, suggesting instead that a peace treaty was concluded following a conflict between him and the Kanem Empire.

Archaeological work at Germa has most recently been conducted by Prof. David Mattingly's Fazzan Project, which has continued the work of Charles Daniels and Mohammed Ayoub. The Fazzan Project has published a volume based on its work, titled ''The Archaeology of Fazzan: Synthesis''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Fazzan Project - Archaeological survey and excavation in the Sahara|url=https://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/archaeology/people/academics/mattingly/the-fazzan-project|access-date=2021-08-17|website=University of Leicester}}</ref> A digital version of this book has been made freely available under a policy of open access by the ''British Institute for Libyan and Northern African Studies''.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Archaeology of Fazzan: Synthesis|url=https://www.jstor.org/content/oa_book_edited/j.ctv2m7c4vf|access-date=2026-04-21|website=JSTOR|language=en|date=2003|last=Mattingly|first=D. J.; Daniels, C. M.; Dore, J. N.; Edwards, D.; Hawthorne, J.}}</ref>

==See also== *Garamantes *Tuareg

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{Commonscat-inline}} *[http://www.lexicorient.com/libya/germa.htm Germa - Lexiorient] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210218071601/http://www.lexicorient.com/libya/germa.htm |date=2021-02-18 }} *[http://www.tobysavage.co.uk/showgallery.asp?id=38 Toby Savage, photographer] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20060207154954/http://www.cru.uea.ac.uk/~e118/Fezzan/fezzan_home.html Nick Brooks' Fezzan Geoarchaeology website] *[http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/germa.htm Germa (Roman Garama)]

Category:Archaeological sites in Libya Category:History of Fezzan Category:Former populated places in Libya Category:History of the Sahara ~

Germa

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