As for the Sicily and Tunisia entries, I am including a brief timeline for Morocco to facilitate a better understanding of the rich historical fabric of the country and an enhanced understanding the cultures of the Moroccan peoples of today.

Moroccan ancient history shares many parallels with its neighbouring Mediterranean countries whose borders have merged and de-merged over the centuries. The Berbers however, with their feisty battles for power and retention of their cultural identity distinguish the Moroccan history from the eastern regions of the Mediterranean and north-eastern Africa. And today, the Berbers remain a fiercely proud people whose identity is broader than language and ethnicity, and encompasses the entire history of northern Africa.


TIMELINE

CIRCA 10,000 BC
The Berbers inhabit The Maghreb or western region of north Africa.

8TH - 6TH CENTURY BC
Phoenician colonisation of the Moroccan Coast.

5TH - 3RD CENTURY BC
The State of Carthage extends its power to the coastal areas of north-west Africa. Indigenous monarchs however continue to rule the hinterland.

3RD CENTURY BC - 40 BC
Indigenous Berber monarchs rule the entire Moroccan territory.

40 BC
Morocco is annexed to the Roman Empire.

430 - 700 AD
The Vandals invade and occupy Morocco. Later, Morocco becomes part of the Byzantine Empire. The Berbers however rule most of the high mountains areas in the hinterland.

700 AD
The Arab invasion and Muslim conquest of the Maghreb. The Arabs convert the indigenous population of Berbers to Islam but Berbers retain their customary laws.

739 - 743 AD
Berber revolt. Arab control ceases and Morocco fragments into a number of small independent Berber states. Berbers begin to shape their own version of Islam and for the next centuries Berber warlords rule Morocco.

789 - 974 AD
Moroccan Berber Idris ibn Abdallah founds the Idrisid Dynasty.

900 - 1060 AD
Rule of the Fatimids, Umayyads and Zenata Berber warlords.

1060 - 1549 AD
Rule of the Berber dynasties of the Almoravids, Almohads, Marinids and Wattasids. Unification of Morocco.

1549 AD
Rule of the Berber Sharifian dynasties of the Saadi and the Alaouite. The Alaouites retain power from the 17th century until 1912 when Morocco is divided into French and Spanish protectorates. Note: the current Moroccan royal family belong to the former Alaouite dynasty.

1860
Morocco disputes the Spanish enclave of Ceuta*. Spain declares war and wins a further enclave and an enlarged Ceuta enclave.

1884
Spain creates a protectorate in the coastal areas of Morocco.



1912
Morocco becomes a French protectorate under the Treaty of Fes. Under a second treaty signed by Spain and France, Spain is granted a Zone of Influence in the northern coastal regions and the country is divided between French and Spanish protectorates. The sultan retains only a figurehead role.

1921 - 1956
Tribal rebellions and strong opposition to French and Spanish rule. The Istiqlal Party is founded in 1943 to press for independence.

1956
Moroccan independence. Spain retains its two coastal enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla. Sultan Mohammad becomes King in 1957.

1961 - 1963
Death of King Mohammed in 1961 and Hassan II becomes the King of Morocco. The first general elections are held in 1963.

1974 - 1991
Western Sahara conflict. In 1974 Spain cedes the administration of Western Sahara to Morocco and Mauritania. Algeria objects, resulting in years of unrest and conflict.

1991
UN monitored ceasefire begins in Western Sahara but the situation remains undecided. Today, relations remain strained between Morocco and Algeria, Spain, and other Arab Maghreb Union nations of Libya, Mauritania and Tunisia over sovereignty of Western Sahara.

1999
King Hassan II is succeeded by his son Mohammed VI. A popular and more liberal leader, Mohammed VI enacts reforms to modernise the country and improve the human rights of the peoples of Morocco. Morocco retains strong ties to the West.

2011
Arab Spring demonstrations spread across a number of major cities in Morocco eventually resulting in King Mohammed VI reforming the constitution.  

2011 - 2015
King Mohammed VI remains the ultimate arbiter of power. He remains popular and continues to guide overall policy whilst promoting modest political and economic reforms. Morocco continues to retain strong ties to Europe and the West.

* The two enclaves of Ceuta and Mellila have been under Spanish control for more than 400 years and remain so today. Located on the African side of the strait of Gibraltar, the cities having offered protection for Spanish ships and provided posts for trading between Europe and Africa. The Moroccans have long contested the ownership of Ceuta and Melilla (and a number of nearby Spanish islands) but the Spanish have refused to give ground. Today the enclaves are home of about 65,000 people in each city. Both are very poor with high unemployment rates. Moroccan labourers enter the enclaves each day but the cities also serve as relatively easy entry points for drug smugglers and African migrant hoping to enter Europe. There is little prospect of resolution of the ownership of these enclaves in the near future.

** Selected photos courtesy of Wikipedia