| Garamantians, Garama and Germa South of the Ubari sand dunes and of the Ubari Lakes lies the town of Germa in
the fertile and green Wadi al-Hayat (Wadi al-Ajal of old). The ancient town of
Garama now lies abandoned and in ruins near the modern Germa. It was founded in
about 1 AD at a time that the Garamantian people were a very dynamic and
flourishing community. They even successfully led expeditions against the
Romans in the north. They brought life to the deserts with irrigation channels
and introduced wheeled transport and horses. They controlled much of the south
western areas of Libya from about 900BC to 500AD when gradually they lost their
dominance, probably as a result of the water table dropping in the area
(through over-irrigation). Now little is to be seen amongst the ruins of the old town. The new town is
however prospering and growing amongst the well-irrigated green palms, fruit
trees and fields of alfalfa and wheat. | 
