Faraqa (Country)

*This article refers to the haYam Shelanu Timeline.*

"The Sun Banner", Flag of Africa

Map of Africa

The Republic of Faraqa (Faraqayyit: "*Suphetim baFaraqa*") also known as the Punic Republic or simply Africa, is a nation located in the central mediterranean, with its capital in the city of Carthage (F.: "*Qarthhadasht*"). The majority of Africa's population consists of Faraqayyit Punics, with sizeable Amazigh and immigrant minorities. Africa borders Cyrenaica to the east, Fezzan and Numidia to the south, and the Massylias to the west. The country is 71.1% Syriyana.

Faraqa is a direct parallel to OTL Italy.

## Etymology

The name "Faraqa" comes from the Old Phoenician word for "Colony", in reference to the western Tyrian colonies of Carthage, Utica and Kirkouane. "Africa" comes from the Latin name for the region, given in reference to an Amazigh tribe in northern Tunisia.

## Government

Africa is a parliamentary republic, whose head of state is known as the *Suphet,* literally meaning "Judge". Africa's 15 administrative regions all have some degree of autonomy, but the country is largely centralized in the capital. Siqeliya has a 40% greek population, and so the language is used in regional government alongside Faraqayyit.

## History

### Ancient Carthage

*Main Article: Ancient Carthage*

Carthage, a settlement founded by the Phoenician city of Tyre in 814 BC, would quickly grow to surpass Atiq and become the largest Phoenician settlement west of Lebanon. They would go on to establish an empire that ruled the mediterranean for centuries more. Until 480 BC, Carthage was a monarchy, but following the death of Malek Hamilcar Magonid in Sicily, Carthage would begin the path towards becoming a *Suphetim*, that is, a republic ruled by two "*Suphet*" (or Judges). After a series of conflicts with the Roman Republic in the 3rd century BC, Carthage established itself as the dominant power in the Western Mediterranean. They would then fight the Seleucid Empire over control of the east, becoming the hegemon of the entire sea, which they called "*haYam Shelanu*" ("Our Sea"). In 141 CE, a series of civil wars and conflicts led to the collapse of the Suphetim, and Carthage was from then on ruled by a *Rab* ("Leader"), who acted as a military dictator. Many institutions of the republic remained, and the tradition of democracy was always maintained to some extent in the Rabbim. In 313, Carthage converted to Syriyana Buddhism, a religion that came from the Indo-Greek Kingdom of Yavana and had been spreading in the west for centuries. By 476, a series of conflicts and germanic and berber invasions led to the fall of the city of Carthage, and with it the Southern Carthaginian Empire. The North, centered in the city of Baalqart, survived for a millenia more in Italy.

### Middle Ages

In the Medieval period, Faraqa was initially ruled by the Kingdom of the Vandals and later the Numidians. Within Numidia, African cities began to gain some autonomy and develop rivalries with other cities, leading to the fragmentation of Africa into a series of small states. The largest of which were the Kingdom of Tounis, which controlled the city of Carthage itself, as well as the Kingdom of Xama, ruling much of the interior. In sicily, the independent merchant republic of Lilibaya ruled many settlements across the mediterranean, including colonies in Sardinia and the Sicilian east. In the 15th century, the Numidian Empire would collapse due in large part to the War of the African Confederation, where the Punic states of Africa united to fight against Numidian rule. The Confederation would soon collapse, and Africa would once again be divided into small states.

## Linguistics

*Main article: Punic Languages*

Though the official language is standard Faraqayyit, most of the population instead speak local languages derived independently from Classical Punic. These include:

* Afriqayyit
* Syfaksit
* Lilibayett
* Sikeliyyit
* Libiyid
* Maletyyit
* Kinnayyit
* Gafsid

The Faraqayyit language is a standard, "universal" African language derived from 18th century Kinnayit. Other, non-punic languages are also spoken in the country, by far the most common of which is Sicilian Greek. The south also has a sizeable Tamazight-speaking population, though most Amazigh of Faraqa speak punic languages.

## Cities by population

Top 20 cities by population:

1. Qarthhadasht
2. Xama
3. Takapes
4. Baalbeq
5. Ziz
6. Atiq
7. Qirta
8. Kinna
9. Eryx
10. Saraqusha/Syrakousa
11. Qaraliya
12. Lilibaya
13. Masana
14. Adramat
15. Yamaya
16. Oyat
17. Tounis
18. A'qola
19. Tapsa
20. Qafes