The Ruins of Tipaza
In the 5th century the Vandals invaded North Africa. After landing in Tingitane (Morocco), they penetrated to the east.
We note that on the way they destroyed the walls of Caesarea (Cherchell) the capital of Mauritania, those of Tipaza were methodically razed to a uniform height.
In Numidia, they seemed to settle: this was the seat of Hippo, where Saint Augustine died. Then they left and settled in Tunisia where they remained for a century.
The Circoncellions
But the most striking phenomenon of this 5th century was the revolt of the mountain population. Those of Aurès took and destroyed Timgad around 477.
The Circoncellions did not cease their revolt and towards the middle of the century they joined their efforts with those of the Donatists to lead a common struggle.
The Byzantines
The Byzantines arrived in North Africa around the middle of the 6th century and, although their occupation was limited in space, it largely exceeded the territory occupied by the Vandals.
They settled where they found the materials necessary for fortifying the cities. The Byzantines came up against the same horsemen, the same tribes as, previously, the Carthaginians and the Romans.
However, they remained for a century in North Africa. They fortified the towns to defend them against the peasants of the plains and especially those of the mountainous massifs. But the peasant struggles never stopped.
In 647, when the Arabs first entered the Maghreb, they found a province weakened by its isolation.