Christianity in ancient North Africa

[Nassbean]

Only the big cities had Christianity (like Tunis and Tanger), the majority of North Africans were pagans (which is why berber pagan tradition still exists today). Old remains of churches are only found in those big urbanized cities, some pagans even existed not even 100 years ago like the Zekara tribe (which is related to the Zenati Iznasn tribe), last century the tribe was fully pagan and they only became muslim after French occupation).

Actually you're partially right the situation was in fact more complex with the eastern part of the maghreb being heavily romanized and christianized even rural areas (reread the quotes I've posted) but the western part ( Mauretania tingitana and Caesariensis) was still mainly pagan only the urban centers were romanized and christianized but it quickly changed during the early middle age with a bigger expansion of christianity in those regions (again the quotes).

As for this zkara tribe I just read that it was an anti-islamic french propaganda so idk (also I'm mainly talking about the regions under roman rule so there are areas of modern north africa who are not really concerned by this)

[Adamm]

Actually you're partially right the situation was in fact more complex with the eastern part of the maghreb being heavily romanized and christianized even rural areas (reread the quotes I've posted) but the western part ( Mauretania tingitana and Caesariensis) was still mainly pagan only the urban centers were romanized and christianized but it quickly changed during the early middle age with a bigger expansion of christianity in those regions (again the quotes).

As for this zkara tribe I just read that it was an anti-islamic french propaganda so idk (also I'm mainly talking about the regions under roman rule so there are areas of modern north africa who are not really concerned by this)

It's not really french propaganda, my nephew is married to a girl from that tribe, only 2 or 3 generations have been muslim so far. Further I agree, Christianity was much more prominent in Eastern Maghreb than Western.

[SharpFork]

How did the conversion to Islam happen? Which social groups converted first and where?

[Renekton]

yes some kabyle communities are christian but they are recent converts ...christianity disappeared in north africa during the XIth century

Why? What happened?

[Dr_Maul]

Why? What happened?

The Fatimid Caliphate happened

[Renekton]

The Fatimid Caliphate happened

Oh gg

[Oneeye]

My haplogroup more christian than yours

[Malagueña]

My haplogroup more christian than yours

[Adamm]

How did the conversion to Islam happen? Which social groups converted first and where?

Conversion went like this:

Ummayds tried 2 times to invade North Africa by force and both attacks were repelled, meanwhile many Berbers already converted because tribal leaders converted to Islam. The 3rd Ummayad attempt to take over North Africa was supported by several Berber tribes, one of the first major Berber tribes to convert to Islam were the Zenati Berbers. Christians mostly lived in Urban areas while most Berber tribes were pagans, however Ummayads could never really consolidate their control over Western North Africa because within 30 years the first Berber revolts started (around 730/740) which kicked the Ummayds forever out of Western North Africa (Modern day Morocco and West Algeria).

[coolfrenchguy]

yes some kabyle communities are christian but they are recent converts ...christianity disappeared in north africa during the XIth century

i have heard than the facial tribalistic tattoos than you could found on old algerian women are from the time when algeria were christian,algeria was really christian until the end of the 6th century