There are countless unsung heroes throughout history that are deserving of greater recognition and appreciation. Among these heroes we have chosen to shed light on five such remarkable Amazigh figures who we believe have had the biggest impact on world history.
1.Lucius Apuleius
(c. 123/125 – c. 180) was a Numidian prose writer and philosopher who lived under the Roman Empire in North Africa, remembered most for his bawdy picaresque novel, the Metamorphoses, otherwise known as The Golden Ass (Asinus Aureus).
2.Terence Terentius Afer
(born c. 195 bc, Carthage, North Africa [now in Tunisia]—died 159? bc, in Greece or at sea), was one of the greatest comic dramatist of the Roman empire, the author of six verse comedies that were long regarded as models of pure Latin. Terence’s plays form the basis of the modern comedy of manners.
3.Saint Augustine of Hippo
Saint Augustine, also called Saint Augustine of Hippo, original Latin name Aurelius Augustinus (born Nov. 13, 354, Tagaste, Numidia [now Souk Ahras, Algeria]—died Aug. 28, 430, Hippo Regius [now Annaba, Algeria]), feast day August 28, bishop of Hippo from 396 to 430, one of the Latin Fathers of the Church, one of the Doctors of the Church, and perhaps the most significant Christian thinker after St. Paul. Augustine’s adaptation of classical thought to Christian teaching created a theological system of great power and lasting influence. His numerous written works, the most important of which are Confessions and City of God, shaped the practice of biblical exegesis and helped lay the foundation for much of medieval and modern Christian thought.
4.Averroes, (Ibn Rushd)
Averroës, also called Ibn Rushd, (born 1126, Córdoba [Spain]—died 1198, Marrakech, was a North African jurist, a physician, an astronomer, and a prolific writer whose commentaries on Aristotle became a major source for understanding the work of that thinker in the 13th and 14th centuries. A common theme throughout his writings is that there is no incompatibility between religion and philosophy when both are properly understood.
5.Armen Firman (Ibn Firnas)
Armen Firman also known as Abbas Ibn Firnas (810–887 A.D.) was a polymath: an inventor, physician, chemist, engineer, Aviator, Andalusian musician, and Arabic-language poet of Amazigh descent, Armen is known as the earliest developers of aviation science and the principles of flying.
If you have suggestions for other notable Amazigh names, please let us know in the comments so we can do a follow-up post and we can continue to exalt these inspirational people and share their incredible stories.Â
