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TheLaguatan (Arabic:لواتة,romanized: Lawātah) was aBerber clan that inhabited theCyrenaica area during theRoman period.[1] They have been described as primarily raiders and nomadic,[2] but others consider them a settled group who also raided.[3]
The Laguatan emerged in the late 3rd century, when the first groups started a westward migration from their original homes in theLibyan Desert. Under the label ofAusturiani (probably reflecting a then-dominant sub-tribe) they are recorded as raiding the Cyrenaica andTripolitania in the 4th century, and in the 520s, under their leaderCabaon, they scored a major victory over theVandals during theTripolitania expedition effectively gaining independence from them and seizing control ocer much of the region.[4] In the 540s, they played a major role in the tribal wars against theByzantines, until finally defeated byJohn Troglita.Procopius of Caesarea (Vandalic War II.21.2 & II.28.47) calls them theLeuathae (Greek:Λευάθαι), whileFlavius Cresconius Corippus calls themIlaguas andLaguantan. According to Corippus, they were still pagan, and worshippedGurzil, who is identified as the son ofAmun and of a cow (Iohannis II.109–110).[5]
During the Islamic Middle Ages,Ibn Khaldun recorded that this tribal group were known as theLawata, and was spread from the oases of Egypt'sWestern Desert throughCyrenaica,Tripolitania to south and centralTunisia and easternAlgeria.[6]