Editing Algiers (section)

===Early history===
{{main|Icosium}}
The city's history is believed to date back to 1200 BC, but it was a small settlement without any significance until around the 3rd century BC when "Ikosim" became a small port town in [[Ancient Carthage|Carthage]] where [[Phoenicians]] were trading with other Mediterranean ports. After the [[Battle of Cirta]], [[Numidia]] got a hold of the town along with its neighboring regions at around 202 BC, after which the [[Punic Wars]] started weakening the [[Berbers|Berber]] nation. On 104 BC, following the capturing of [[Jughurta]] and executing him in Rome, the western half of his nation was given to  [[Mauretania]] under the rule of [[Bocchus I]]. At around 42 AD, [[Claudius]] divided  Mauretania into two provinces, [[Mauretania Caesariensis]] that included [[Icosium]] as one of its towns; the second province was [[Mauretania Tingitana]] and were deemed as Roman [[Municipium]]s, additionally they were given [[Latin rights]] by the emperor [[Vespasian]]. In 371-373 AD, Mauretania revolted with the help of [[Firmus (4th-century usurper)|Firmus]], in hopes of establishing an independent state. Icosium was raided and damaged. Some clues show the presence of [[bishop]]s in the region at this time.{{sfn|Chisholm|1911|p=655}}

In 435 AD, the [[Vandal Kingdom]] took control of [[northern Africa]] along the coasts of today's [[Tunisia]] and [[Algeria]]. The [[Western Roman Empire]] that was ruling the area allowed the Vandals to settle when it became clear that they could not be defeated by Roman military forces. Though the city was damaged again due to the fighting between the two armies, the town was still slowly growing in population.