Editing Germa (section)

{{other places}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage-->
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|official_name          = Germa 
|other_name             =
|native_name            =  {{lang|ar|جرمة}}
|nickname               = 
|settlement_type        = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)-->
|motto                  =
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|image_skyline          = Garma (Garama) - Ruinen der antiken Stadt Garma 02.jpg
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|image_caption          = Ruins of Germa
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|pushpin_map_caption    =Location in Libya
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type       = Country
|subdivision_name       = [[Image:Flag of Libya.svg|25px]] [[Libya]]
|subdivision_type1      = Region
|subdivision_name1      = [[Fezzan]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[Districts of Libya|District]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Wadi al Hayaa District|Wadi al Hayaa]] 
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|established_title      =  <!-- Settled -->
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<!-- Population   ----------------------->
|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
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|timezone               = [[UTC]] + 2
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|coordinates            = {{coord|26.544|N|13.064|E|region:LY|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes    =  <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags-->
|elevation_m            = 
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|postal_code_type       =  <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... -->
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}}

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

The Garamantes were a [[Berber people|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 [[Common Era|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 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–Bornu Empire|Kanem Empire.]]

Archaeological work at Germa has most recently been conducted by Prof. [[David Mattingly (archaeologist)|David Mattingly]]'s Fazzan Project, which has continued the work of [[Charles Daniels (archaeologist)|Charles Daniels]] and [[Mohammed Ayoub]]. The Fazzan Project has published four volumes based on its work, titled ''[[The Archaeology of Fazzan|The Archaeology of Fazzān]]''.<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> Digital versions of these books have been made freely available under a policy of [[open access]] by the [[Society for Libian Studies]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Open Access|url=https://societyforlibyanstudies.org/open-access-ebooks/|access-date=2021-08-17|website=Society for Libyan Studies|language=en}}</ref> In his book, [[W.F.G. Lacroix]] attempts to explain the name 'Garamantes' and associates it with certain ethnic group based solely on the similarity of names, without providing adequate explanation of their meanings. Even his interpretation is flawed, and the associations he draws are historically inaccurate, as the ethnic  group he references are not, in fact, the Garamantes. Furthermore, his explanation of the name’s origin is disputed, as he fails to provide a clear or substantiated account of its etymology—specifically, what the name means and how it came to be associated with the group he mentions, particularly concerning how and when the group he associates with the Garamantes acquired their name. Historical evidence suggests that the name was previously used to refer to entirely different ancient peoples, and neither the earlier nor the currently associated group are direct descendants of the Garamantes, and the book has been used in a misleading and exploitative manner, particularly by those he associated with the Garamantes—namely, the Kara people of Gouran (Toubou)<ref>{{Cite web |title=By W.F.G. Lacroix on Ptolemy's Africa Map |url=https://buchshop.bod.de/lafrique-de-ptolemee-w-f-g-lacroix-9783740748715 |access-date=2025-05-06 |website=buchshop.bod.de |language=de}}</ref> They have also relied on questionable (fake) colonial-era sources, such as the works of [[Jean Chapelle]] is widely regarded as misleading and filled with harmful inaccuracies—particularly within the communities of Borkou, Chad. His work, which fails to adhere to the principles of truth and credibility, has misled readers on various topics, causing significant confusion and a distortion of historical facts, especially among the Toubou communities in the Borkou region, as a direct consequence, people are suffering from the loss and distortion of their history, as Chapelle’s work contributed to the erasure of their true heritage. As a result, Chapelle and several other colonial authors stand condemned as injudicious writers, and the world would have been highly satisfied if a hundred such had perished. 

Herodotus recorded the name Garamantes, which is derived from their city, Garama—hence the name Garama—ntes. In the Toubou (Tedaga-Dazaga) language, this literally means “sons of the speakers of the Ga language.” The original name for the Toubou—Teda-Daza—is '''Ga''', a term that refers both to the people themselves, known as the Ga people, and to their language was called Ga, which includes both the Dazaga and Tedaga dialects. This designation is still used today by the Toubou to refer to themselves and their language as Ga serving as a unifying people. The terms '''Teda''' and '''Daza''' emerged after the Toubou settled in the northern and southern regions, with the northern groups becoming known as Teda and the southern groups as Daza. '''Ga''' is the root name referring to both the people and their language. The name Garamantes can be broken down as Ga (the people and their language) + ra (speakers) + ma (sons) + ntes (a suffix). Similarly, the Toubou dialects—Tedaga and Dazaga—both end with the suffix '''-ga''', reflecting their shared origin. These dialects are variations of a single language originally called '''Ga''', which developed distinct forms due to differences in their environments. The name '''Goran''' is actually derived from '''Garama'''. Over time, through the influence of Arabic speakers, the original name '''Garama''' was altered to '''Goran'''.   
*[[Toubou]] ([[Toubou people|Goran]])
*[[Tuareg people|Tuareg]]