The African coast was formerly controlled by many different peoples and nations, including Numidia, Carthage, Cyrene and Garama. The region came under Roman rule in the 2nd century BC and became a hotbed of Roman culture, with several emperors being of African origin. It was lost to the Vandals in the early 5th century, was reconquered by the great general Belisarius in 533, and subsequently became part of the restored Western Roman Empire. Africa became independent once more in 715 following the division of the Western Empire, and quickly became a powerful kingdom in its own right.