The historic Mesarfelta is believed to be what are now the ruins of El-Outaïa or those of Tolga, Henchir-El-Ksar,[1] or may be Qastilya in
Algeria[2] (according to "Three North-African Topographical Notes (Islamic-Roman)").
The city is believed to have been constructed as a fortification by the
Romans (with annexed "vicus"), in the second half of the first century near the
Aures Mountains. It had an
amphitheatre during
Hadrians reign.[3]
A barrier called
Fossatum Africae, which marked the frontier between the territory of the Roman Empire and other lands, ran through Mesarfelta.[4]
The city disappeared after the
Muslim conquest in the second half of the 7th century.
Bishopric
The city of Mesarfelta was the seat of an ancient
bishopric[5] There are two Mesarfelta bishops historically remembered both in the
Council of Carthage (411).