Djémila
Alternative name | Cuicul |
---|---|
Location | Sétif Province, Algeria |
Coordinates | 36°19′N 5°44′E / 36.317°N 5.733°E |
Type | Settlement |
History | |
Founded | 1st century AD |
Abandoned | 6th century AD |
Periods | Roman Empire |
Arab States |
Djémila (
In 1982, Djémila became a
Roman Cuicul
Under the name of Cuicul, the city was built 900 metres (3,000 ft) above sea level during the 1st century AD as a Roman military garrison situated on a narrow triangular plateau in the province of Numidia. The terrain is somewhat rugged, being located at the confluence of two rivers.
Cuicul's builders followed a standard plan with a forum at the center and two main streets, the
During the reign of Caracalla in the 3rd century, Cuicul's administrators took down some of the old ramparts and constructed a new forum. They surrounded it with larger and more impressive edifices than those that bordered the old forum. The terrain hindered building, so that they built the theatre outside the town walls, which was exceptional.
Christianity became very popular in the 4th century (after some persecutions in the early third century[2]) and brought the addition of a basilica and baptistery. They are to the south of Cuicul in a quarter called "Christian", and are popular attractions.[1]
Of the bishops of Cuicul, Pudentianus took part in the
The city was slowly abandoned after the fall of the Roman Empire around the 5th century and 6th century. There were some improvements under emperor Justinian I, with wall reinforcements.
Muslims later dominated the region, but did not reoccupy the site of Cuicul, which they renamed Djémila ("beautiful" in Arabic).
3D documentation
The spatial documentation of Djémila took place during two Zamani Project field campaigns in 2009,[8] which were undertaken in co-operation with Prof Hamza Zeghlache and his team from the University of Setif, Algeria, as well as the South African National Research Foundation (NRF). Several structures were documented, including the Baptistry,[9] the Caracalla Gate, the Market, the Septimius-servus Temple and the Theatre.
Notable residents
Several significant Romanized Africans were born in Cuicul:[10]
- Lucius Alfenus Senecio: governor of Britannia (205 to 207).
- Gaius Valerius Pudens: governor of Britannia.
- Tiberius Claudius Subatianus Aquila: governor of Mesopotamia and Egypt.
- Tiberius Claudius Subatianus Proculus: governor of Numidia.
Gallery
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Panorama of Cuicul
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The Macellum
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The Arch of Caracalla
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Forum laid out by Septimius Severus
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Temple of Gens Septimia
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Christian quarter
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Christian baptismal area
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Museum
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Roman theater
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Roman theater
See also
References
- ^ a b Djemila, Morocco, Algeria, & Tunisia, Geoff Crowther and Hugh Finlay, Lonely Planet, 2nd Edition, April 1992, pp. 298 - 299.
- ^ Christian persecutions in Cuicul
- ^ A. Berthier, v. Cuicul, in Dictionnaire d'Histoire et de Géographie ecclésiastiques, vol. XIII, Paris 1956, coll. 1095–1097
- ^ H. Jaubert, Anciens évêchés et ruines chrétiennes de la Numidie et de la Sitifienne, in Recueil des Notices et Mémoires de la Société archéologique de Constantine, vol. 46, 1913, pp. 32-33 (nº 46)
- ^ J. Mesnage L'Afrique chrétienne, Paris 1912, pp. 283-284
- ^ Stefano Antonio Morcelli, Africa christiana, Volume I, Brescia 1816, p. 147
- ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), p. 877
- ^ "Site - Djemila". zamaniproject.org. Retrieved 2019-09-19.
- ^ "3D Heritage Models, with a Twist". SPAR 3D. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
- ISBN 0-415-16591-1
External links
- Djemila, Algeria Archived 2005-12-19 at the Wayback Machine
- Official UNESCO Site for Cuicul-Djémila
- Photos of Cuicul (Djemila)
- Images of Djemila in Manar al-Athar digital heritage photo archive