Roman Africa in the long run: Some thoughts about hellenization, latinization and the development of the region if they held it

[Tupiniquim]

The quick vandalic war of 533-534 brought North Africa back to roman control for the first time in more than 100 years. The vast part of the population was catholic orthodox christian being ruled by the minority aryan christian vandals, who constantly persecuted chalcedonian christians in their realm. The net gain for the empire was immense, with its second breadbasket (after Egypt) back in control, the finances of the empire had a boost.

Coastal cities/regions close to the mediterranean region, like Carthago itself, Hippo Diarrhytus (Bizerte), Cartennae (Ténès), Saldae (Bejaia), Hippo Regius (Annaba), Hadrumentum (Sousse), Oea (Tripoli) and Leptis Magna were highly latinized and cores of african romance; while the hinterland was mostly indigenous, tamazigh speaking, with latinized pockets like Cirta (Constantina).

After the disastrous gothic campaign that left Italy desolate and in a quasi-anarchy state, boosted by the lombard invasions from the north, the majority of roman italy was completely lost, with only the southern part of the region being actively controlled by the byzzies, along with other controlled pockets in the peninsula like Ravenna, Venice and Rome itself.

Losing italy forced the empire to stick with the greek language, the lingua franca in the east. Italy was lost, north africa was still under rhomanian management. Despite of Constantinople being very distant from Carthago by land, roman naval power keep the two cities connected by sea.

A language question
For the sake of the argument, let's think about the byzantines being able to stop the arabs at the doors of Petra/Philadelphia in Jordan. Doesn't matter how: If they were able to defeat the arabs, if the arabs fail, if someone from the future give modern weapons to the romans, it doesn't matter. Palestine, Egypt, Syria: everything still roman. And North Africa still roman as well.

It's the middle ages. Greek officially replaced latin, as in OTL. Everybody speaks it as their second language. Local dialects develop naturally, but everybody can understand each other. Hellenization in rhomanian controlled southern italy lead the local latin language in its path of extinction. The rest of non-roman controlled italy still latinized though.
The question is what path would byzantine controlled north africa follow.

1. Coastal cities are hellenized and greek replace latin in daily life. Influenced by other hellenized mediterranean cities like Syracuse, Rhegion, the cities of Cyrenaica, Crete and Cyprus, Carthago becomes Καρχηδών, Hippo becomes Ἱππὼν διάρρυτος, Cartennae becomes Καρτένναι. The hinterland still tamazigh speaking, but gradually being replaced by greek, like what happened when the arabs conquered the region in OTL. Everybody becomes Afrikoi. The westernmost hellenized region in the world.
2. African Romance survives, absorbing greek and indigenous north african elements, but will keep as the lingua franca in africa. Sardinian becomes highly influenced by the language. In the hinterland the population is slowly latinized.
3. (Most improbable to me) African Romance survives in the coast, but the hinterland isn't assimilated and slowly becomes independent in small political entities, like in Italy. Only some cities in the coast stay under roman control

What do you think about it?

 

[Silver01]

Hellenization in rhomanian controlled southern italy lead the local latin language in its path of extinction. The rest of non-roman controlled italy still latinized though.
The question is what path would byzantine controlled north africa follow

I dont think so greek while strong in south italy will not likely eradicate Latin there especially when the romans by 600 held little of southern italy benevento really took most of it.

Coastal cities are hellenized and greek replace latin in daily life. Influenced by other hellenized mediterranean cities like Syracuse, Rhegion, the cities of Cyrenaica, Crete and Cyprus, Carthago becomes Καρχηδών, Hippo becomes Ἱππὼν διάρρυτος, Cartennae becomes Καρτένναι. The hinterland still tamazigh speaking, but gradually being replaced by greek, like what happened when the arabs conquered the region in OTL. Everybody becomes Afrikoi. The westernmost hellenized region in the world.

Again i see it far more likely that dual system emerges like the one that existed with latin and greek back in the old roman days in the east latin/African romance probably doesn't die off.

 

[Arkenfolm]

It's the middle ages. Greek officially replaced latin, as in OTL. Everybody speaks it as their second language. Local dialects develop naturally, but everybody can understand each other. Hellenization in rhomanian controlled southern italy lead the local latin language in its path of extinction. The rest of non-roman controlled italy still latinized though.
The question is what path would byzantine controlled north africa follow.

1. Coastal cities are hellenized and greek replace latin in daily life. Influenced by other hellenized mediterranean cities like Syracuse, Rhegion, the cities of Cyrenaica, Crete and Cyprus, Carthago becomes Καρχηδών, Hippo becomes Ἱππὼν διάρρυτος, Cartennae becomes Καρτένναι. The hinterland still tamazigh speaking, but gradually being replaced by greek, like what happened when the arabs conquered the region in OTL. Everybody becomes Afrikoi. The westernmost hellenized region in the world.
2. African Romance survives, absorbing greek and indigenous north african elements, but will keep as the lingua franca in africa. Sardinian becomes highly influenced by the language. In the hinterland the population is slowly latinized.
3. (Most improbable to me) African Romance survives in the coast, but the hinterland isn't assimilated and slowly becomes independent in small political entities, like in Italy. Only some cities in the coast stay under roman control

What do you think about it?

1. Very improbable. If anything, it might slow down the Hellenisation of the Eastern Empire by giving it a second economic core, although in truth I'd expect it to be the largely autonomous Exarchate it was OTL. Most of ERE Italy for instance wasn't Hellenised, and I'm not even sure if remaining pockets of Greek speakers ended up expanding in the few centuries they were ruled from Constantinople. The local church used Latin, local elites used Latin, trade was mostly conducted with Latin speakers in the Western Mediterranean--there's just no reason to speak Greek when Constantinople is distant and the region mostly runs itself besides shipping grain to the east in exchange for protection.
2. I don't think there'd be many more Greek elements than with OTL Italian. Far more likely is native Punico-Berber substratum which already influenced how nouns were conjugated and the sound system (i.e. complete merger of short and long vowels). Sardinian was probably influenced because it received a large number of migrants from North Africa (and indeed was a major trade partner with that region throughout history). The hinterland would indeed come to speak Latin over time, but a lot is dependent on the policies of the state in dealing with Berber tribes.
3. How is that most improbable? It's pretty much akin to the situation OTL except with Romans replacing Arabs. And the Berbers are a very tribalist people and did indeed form a multitude of small states in the interior throughout history. There are serious cultural differences between them and coastal Roman Africans (who are mostly descendents of Punic speakers) to the point I'd say a decent comparison is with the Basques, Irish, or Scottish highlanders. They will play a huge role in governing the state throughout history, yet will also strive to retain their independence and autonomous institutions.

 

[Gloss]

Sardinian was probably influenced because it received a large number of migrants from North Africa (and indeed was a major trade partner with that region throughout history).

I don't think this is true, if any influence happened it would have been more through trade than through migrations considering most of Italy has very little North African ancestry and that includes Sardinia.

 

[Vangogh]

I think Latin is definitely there to stay. In our timeline Latin dominated even though there was a big Eastern Roman Empire left that only spoke Greek (mostly).

I can see independent tribes in the hinterland that does there own thing but they could hardly be more than raiders because of the dessert and limited nature of the area.

Africa would be far more developed, latin speaking and interconnected
I imagine something like this. Egypt and sorroundings greek, rest latin.

 

[Nuraghe]

I agree with what written by others, Latin in the province of Africa is there to stay (it will not be replaced by Greek) because all the most important commercial links for the region (excluding Constantinople) are with Romance regions (Italy and Iberia on all) and have been for at least 9 almost uninterrupted centuries (apart from the Vandal rule), I also see the formation of a Berber - Roman proto-identity similar to the one I bring to the Franks in Gaul with interesting implications if Constantinople loses control for a long time go into a moment of crisis (because if the Arabs are blocked, two things can happen: either they go East and end up conquering Persia and replace it or a three-way stalemate is formed in the region between the powers) moreover the survival of the Africa Romana will also influence the Latin church in formation (both for the importance of Carthage, place of death of St. Augustine and as a possible place of origin for future pontiffs (to replace those who Otl came from Syria in flight, without forgetting the 3 popes of North Africa during the 6th/7th century) as being close to Rome (and with the solid link between the two main Latin-speaking cities of the empire) they can become the second most numerous representation after the Italians inside the church (replacing Otl the French, if the papacy proceeds as in its development in a normal way) perhaps an emperor (at Constans II) decides that to regain control of the West he must move (perhaps recreating the Western empire)

 

[Fabius Maximus]

IOTL the Byzantine Empire used Latin as its official language until the crisis of the 7th century, which caused it to lose most of its non-Greek territories and meant that all spare resources needed to be redirected to defence rather than classical education. ITTL this doesn't happen, so the Empire probably continues to use Latin as a prestige language for longer, further reducing any pressure on North Africa to Hellenise.

Incidentally, here's an interesting video on what we know about African Romance, which might give some ideas as to how the local language would develop: