Antalas

Antalas (Berber languages: ⴰⵏⵜⴰⵍⴰ;Greek: Ἀντάλας; c. 500 – after 548) was a Berber leader of all "Moors" from at least 544 to 548 during the 6th century who played a major role in the wars of the Berbers against the Vandals and Byzantines in Africa having under his leadership the Moorish tribes from all Berbers land from the east Marmarica (western Egypt Siwah) the region from which come from the Marmarids title of the Libyans tribes who were mainly living at the saharan desert region of northern or middle modern day Libya and Marmarid King "Marmaridum Rex" was a title for Ierna chief of Laguatans and high priest of Gurzil to the entire territory of Mauretania (Tingitana, Ceasariensis, Sitifensis) in the west (Morocco and Algeria) notably having the tribes of Ausi of chief Autilitan, Silvaizan, Macares, Silzactae, Caunes and even others desert tribes such as the known Gaetulians. Antalas and his tribe, the Frexes who lives between modern day Tunisia and Algeria initially served the Byzantines as allies, but after 544 switched sides. With the final Byzantine victory in 548 him and his tribe might have once again became Foederatti for the Byzantines as despite it is not well known he would more likely gets back the state he had before the 2nd Byzantine-Moorish wars of 544-548 CE, the main sources on his life are the epic poem Iohannis of Flavius Cresconius Corippus and the Histories of the Wars of Procopius of Caesarea.

The Frexes Chiefdom or Frexes Confederation (leading multiples tribes as greater entity under Frexes rulers leadership) domain is often referred to as "Kingdom of the Dorsale" it is also considered as the main Principality of Guenfan also his son Antalas and considered as centering Frexes authority at Thala a city at 1017m high and former Numidian city that was also a former treasury for the King Jugurtha and his last faithful stronghold in Numidia, the entire city was reported to have put a fierce resistance against Quintus Caecilius Roman statesmen and general who had a climatic advantage during the siege that saved his troops for water supplies and he seized by the Western Romans in 108 BC but didn't get anything good to plunder as the entire city had handed to Jugurtha his treasury and burnt themselves and all properties they had inside a great fire during the Jugurthine war and the city was eventually lost during the collapse of the western Roman empire for being under the occupation of Frexes Berbers often referred to as "Massyli army" therefore considered legitimately (as they're included in their confederation with Iaudas and Cusina) as the descent of Numidians Massylis alongside several Berbers by Corippus Johannides works where in Latin he is the first mentioned Berber chief and the Frexes are the first mentioned tribe even as braves and fierce warriors by Corippus and Antalas was also mentioned as "Princeps Maurorum"making him the most important Moorish (Non-Romanized or non-Christanized Berber) leader representative of this non-romanized population in North Africa towards the Empreror of the Eastern Romans Justinian as Antalas was the only Berber ruler to have been recorded directly in contact through at least a letter in 545 with the emperor explaining why the Byzantine–Moorish wars had began due to romans dignitaries fault and he did some attempts to make the emperor accept his request through the flattery of being his former ally serving his empire safety as foederati but he also spoke like if he was the equal of the byzantine emperor as a representative of the angered Moors telling him that if he does not remove Sergius nephew of Solomon the war would not stop and it didn't stop until 548.

Later this status would potentially result to the alliance with the Byzantine John Troglita and of the Numidians described as "Mauro-romans rulers" from Mauretania Sitifensis and Roman Numidia were described also as christianized rulers meaning that they had the Romans faith such as Cutzinas, Isfidaïas, Iaudas and some others to switch side with the Romans in the battle of latara in 548 and earlier specifically for Cutzinas who was a half Roman thought his mother as well a foederati allied to the Byzantine empire and great ennemy of Antalas from Capsa who received notably the title of Exarch and Magister Militum for his contribution against Antalas coalition before getting killed in January, 563 by the Roman Prefect John Rogathinus.

The Frexes domain limits would be the cities of Theveste, Ammaedaera, Sufetula, Thelepte, Cilium and Mactar but also Sufes and having as territory the valley of Foussana and the mountainous hills around, considered to have been taken by the strength against the Vandals eventually around 510 and Antalas inherited it during the same decade, the Frexes at the arrival of Islam did change name to an arabic translation as the "Fraichiches" who therefore links 1500 years of history until nowdays and their descendants became Muslims (Also Arabized) who would make severals revolts for their interests again like against Tunis in 1864 or against invaders coming from Europe in 1881 under another leader having the name of Hadj Harrat el Ferchichi and be linked like Antalas before with the Tripolitanians during the wars events and in 1906 again around Thala and Kasserine (New Cilium).