Maghrebi Jews (in Hebrew
Maghrebim or ) are
Jews who had traditionally lived in the
Maghreb region of
North Africa (
al-Maghrib,
Arabic for "the west") under Arab rule during the
Middle Ages. Established Jewish communities had existed in
North Africa long before the arrival of
Sephardi Jews,
expelled from
Spain. The oldest Jewish communities were present during
Roman times and possibly as early as within
Punic colonies of the
Ancient Carthage period. Maghrebi Jews largely mixed with the newly arrived Sephardic Jews, beginning from 13th century until 16th century, eventually being overwhelmed by Sephardics and embracing the Sephardic
Jewish identity in most cases.