Origins

• Berber as a term was originally used to refer to any one of a number of indigenous peoples of North Africa. The name "Berber" is related to "Barbarian," used by ancient Greeks as a derisive term for all non-Hellenistic civilizations.
  
  

Cultural Influences

• Berber culture, while having indigenous elements, is influenced by the Phoenicians, a levantine people known for seafaring and for establishing the state of Carthage. Carthage was destroyed by the Romans after several hard fought wars.
  
  

Religion

• Berbers retain some vestiges of their own religion, but were converted to Islam during the Muslim conquests of the 8th century. The large majority of Berbers are Muslims.
  
  

Language

• The language of the Berbers is called Tamazight. It had no alphabet until recently;it has only three vowels, but 38 consonants.
  
  

Rulers of Spain

• Many of the Moors who ruled over the Islamic kingdoms in Spain between the 8th and 15th centuries. The Almoravid and Almohad dynasties were of Berber origin.