Thuburnica

Roman bridge in Thuburnica, still in use

Thuburnica (present day ) was an ancient town in the Roman province of Mauretania Caesariensis, near Thagaste.[1] Actually it is called "El Kalâa", located near Chimtou (western Tunisia).

History

Caius Marius started the roman presence in Thuburnica allowing some of his veterans (called "Conditor coloniae" or founders of the colonia) to settle in a small ancient berber village.

A few decades later the emperor Augustus settled there his veterans creating officially a "roman colonia", ruled by "duumviros". Thuburnica was one the colonies created in connection with 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: Rusucurru, Tubusuctu, Igilgili, Saldae, Rusazu, Rusguniae, Aquae Calidae, Zuccabar, Gunugu and Cartenna.

The people of Thuburnica were members of the "Arnense" group/tribe. Most of the population of Thuburnica in the third century were descendants of the Roman legionaries and this fact made the city one of most romanised in ancient Mauretania. The Christian religion was the most important only in the fourth century: paganism was worshipped -during Hadrian times- in a local temple dedicated to Ba'al Hammon,[2] later destroyed and finally converted to church.

Thuburnica was put by Diocletianus on the border of Mauretania Sitifensis with Africa Proconsularis.[3]

Thuburnica was conquered 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.

Actually only some ruins remain of Roman Thuburnica, but a local "Roman bridge" is still working in perfect conditions.[4] The ruins are: a mausoleum, two arch, a temple, four cisterns, a thermae, an acqueduct and a small Byzantine fortification.[5]

Notes

  1. ↑ Detailed map showing the location of Thuburnica, just northeast of Thagaste
  2. ↑ Naïdé Ferchiou, « Le mausolée anonyme de Thuburnica », Mélanges de l'École française de Rome, vol. 98, n°98-2, 1986, pp. 665-705
  3. ↑ Map on the Introduction
  4. ↑ Thuburnica
  5. ↑ Thuburnica (in Italian)

Bibliography

See also