Libya: Empire, Oil, and Revolution

Libya: Empire, Oil, and Revolution by JN Nartey: Spanning thousands of years, Libya: Empire, Oil, and Revolution tells the sweeping story of a land that has stood at the crossroads of history — from the bustling ports of ancient Carthage and the grandeur of Roman Leptis Magna, to the rise of Islam, the age of empires, and the turbulence of modern times. This book traces Libya's journey through the ages: its early role as a cradle of civilization in the Sahara, the flourishing of Greek Cyrene and Roman Africa, the march of Islamic dynasties, Ottoman governors, and Italian colonizers. It follows Libya into the twentieth century, from its hard-fought independence under King Idris, to the transformative — and often turbulent — rule of Muammar Gaddafi. Rich in oil wealth yet plagued by unrest, Libya became a nation both admired and feared, a stage where global powers wrestled for influence. With vivid storytelling and sharp historical insight, JN Nartey explores how Libya's identity has been shaped by empire, faith, oil, and revolution — and how its past continues to echo in the struggles of the present. More than a history book, Libya: Empire, Oil, and Revolution is a narrative of resilience, contradictions, and survival — the story of a nation where desert sands carry both the ruins of empires and the seeds of a still-unwritten future.