In 146 BC, the Romans conquered the region, where existed an old city called "
Tbessa". Theveste was founded by the Romans in 75 AD near an old Berber village located next to the
Aurès Mountains, in order to control the mountain region.
Theveste flourished under
Septimius Severus reaching a population calculated in nearly 30,000 inhabitants, and was even an important Dioceses See.
There is mention of a council held there by the
Donatists. Among its saints were
Lucius, its bishop, who assisted at the
Council of Carthage (256) and died as a martyr two years later;
Maximilianus, martyred 12 March, 295 AD; and
Crispina, martyred 5 December, 304 AD.[4] Some of its bishops are known:
Romulus in 349 AD;
Urbicus in 411 AD;
Felix exiled by the
Vandals in 484 AD; and
Palladius mentioned in an inscription.
During the 4th and 5th century AD, Thebeste was a centre of
Manichaeism as well. In June 1918 a codex of 26 leaves written in Latin by Manichaeans was discovered in a cave near the city.[5]
Theveste was raided by the
Vandals, but it was rebuilt and made part of
Byzantine North Africa at the beginning of the reign of
Justinian I by the patriciusSolomon. He erected a tomb there, which still exists. The city was nearly destroyed by
Umayyad Caliphate forces, but a small village (probably initially populated by a few surviving Christian Berbers) remained for centuries.[6]
Modern Tebessa is very rich in ancient monuments, among them being a
triumphal arch of
Caracalla, a temple, a Christian
basilica of the 4th century and the huge walls.
Main architectural remains
Around the Roman Forum it is possible to see even today the remains of:
Arch of Caracalla, a Roman
triumphal arch dating from 214 AD. This edifice, which was the North entrance to the town is positioned as a square at the junction of two roads. The four facades of this door are all identical.
Temple of Minerva (early 3rd century AD), with walls decorated by mosaics. The Minerva Temple dates from the beginning of the 3rd Century. The interior walls of this Temple are ornamented with beautiful mosaics. One finds inside it various prehistoric articles (money, arms, lamps, etc.)
Remains of the
Basilica of St. Crispinus (4th century AD), one of the biggest in Africa. It also has chapels, baptism urns, catacombs and gardens. The basilica is situated at the exterior of the old city at the north of the Arc of Caracalla. There are various pathways, huge steps, stables, walkways, and many Roman edifices around. This basilica is consecrated to a local Saint, Saint Crispina, and dates from the end of the 4th Century.
Byzantine walls (6th century), popularly known as "Solomon's Walls" and flanked by thirteen square towers. The Solomon wall encircles the old town centre. These walls are flanked by towers which open onto the outside by four doors. One of these four doors is an Arc de Triomphe (Caracalla's door).
Roman theatre. Small in size, it was created when the city was refounded as a base for the Legio III Augusta.
Amphitheatre (4th century AD). Divided into two sections.
^A month later
Henri Omont found the missing initial 13 leaves. The whole book is now known as the
Tebessa codex and it is kept in Cologne. It has been edited by Markus Stein (Bonn).
^Under the
Ottoman Empire, Theveste had a garrison of
Janizaries. In 1851 it has been occupied by the French. Under the name of Tebessa it became the capital of a canton of the Department of Constantine in Algeria.
Laffi, Umberto. Colonie e municipi nello Stato romano Ed. di Storia e Letteratura. Roma, 2007
ISBN8884983509
Mommsen, Theodore. The Provinces of the Roman Empire Section: Roman Africa. (Leipzig 1865; London 1866; London: Macmillan 1909; reprint New York 1996) Barnes & Noble. New York, 1996
Smyth Vereker, Charles. Scenes in the Sunny South: Including the Atlas Mountains and the Oases of the Sahara in Algeria. Volume 2. Publisher Longmans, Green, and Company. University of Wisconsin. Madison,1871 (
Roman Theveste )
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the
public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "
Theveste". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.