Gunugu

Map showing Gunugu just west of Caesarea of Mauretania

Gunugu was a Roman colonia on the coast of Mauretania Caesariensis. Actually it is called Gouraya, in Algeria.

History

Originally Gunugu was a Phoenician settlement, that traded extensively in the western Mediterranean.[1] After the defeat of Carthage, the Romans took control of Gunugu. But only under emperor Augustus the city was promoted to roman colonia: a "cohort praetorian" was settled in Gunugu around 25 BC [2] and the local population was member of the "Quirina gens/tribe".

Gunugu was one of the ten colonies founded by emperor Augustus on or near the coast of ancient Mauretania with veterans of his legions. These Roman colonies were created for the retirement of the veterans of his legions, and were: Gunugu, Rusucurru, Tubusuctu, Igilgili, Saldae, Rusazu, Rusguniae, Aquae Calidae, Zuccabar and Cartenna.

Gunugu was located 30 km west of Caesarea, at the limit of the romanised Mauretania: the city was populated by descendants of the legionaries, who mixed with local berbers, and worshipped Christianity in the fourth century. There was a Roman Thermae and an acqueduct,[3] but nothing else has arrived to our days.

Indeed Gunugu was conquered (and partially damaged) by the Vandals and reconquered by emperor Justinianus a century later. After the Arab invasion of the second half of the seventh century, the city was destroyed and disappeared. It was rebuilt with the name "Bresk" some centuries later.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ History of Phoenician Gunugu
  2. ↑ Gunugu and Augustus
  3. ↑ Enc. Berbere: Gunugu
  4. ↑ Gunugu: "la mort de la ville", by Morel & Camps

Bibliography

See also