Mauretania Caesariensis

Mauretania or Mauritania Caesariensis (Latin for "Caesarian" or "Cherchelli Mauretania") was a Roman province located in what is now Algeria in the Maghreb, with its capital at Caesarea (modern Cherchell). The name of the capital was used to distinguish it from neighboring Mauretania Tingitana, which was ruled from Tangiers.

Historical background

The Roman Empire in the time of Hadrian (ruled 117–138), showing the imperial province of Mauretania Caesariensis (modern Algeria in the Maghreb)

In the 1st century AD, Roman emperor Claudius divided the westernmost Roman province in Africa, named Mauretania (land of the Mauri people, hence the word Moors), into Mauretania Caesariensis (named after its capital, one of many cities simply named Caesarea after the imperial cognomen that had become a title) and Mauretania Tingitana.

Under Diocletian's Tetrarchy reform, the easternmost part was broken off from Mauretania Caesariensis as a separate small province, Mauretania Sitifensis, called after its inland capital Sitifis (actual Sétif) with a significant port at Saldae (presently Béjaïa).

Mauretania Caesariensis contained eight colonies founded by Augustus, Cartennas, Gunugu, Igilgili, Rusguniae, Rusazu, Saldae, Zuccabar, Tubusuctu; two by Claudius, Caesarea formerly "Iol" the capital of Juba, who gave it this name in honour of his patron Augustus, and Oppidum Novum; one by Nerva, Setifis; and in later times, Arsenaria, Bida, Siga, Aquae Calidae, Quiza Xenitana, Rusucurru, Auzia, Gilva, Icosium, and Tipasa in all 21 well-known colonies, besides several “municipia” and “oppida Latina.”

At the time of Diocletian and Constantine the Great, both Sitifensis and Caesariensis were assigned to the administrative Diocese of Africa, in the praetorian prefecture of Italy, while Tingitana was an outpost of the Diocese of Spain. Caesarea was a major center of Judaism before 330, and Sitifis was one of the centres of the soldier cult of Mithraic mysteries. Christianity spread throughout in the 4th and 5th centuries.

Religion

Among the ruling class, Trinitarian Christianity was replaced by Arianism under the Germanic kingdom of the Vandals, which was established in 430, when the Vandals crossed the Strait of Gibraltar. The Vandal kingdom was extinguished by Byzantine armies around 533, but most of Mauretania Caesariensis remained under the control of local Moorish rulers such as Mastigas, and it was not until the 560s and 570s that Byzantine control was established in the interior. The Muslim conquest of the Maghreb meant the end of the Byzantine Exarchate of Africa and Late Antique Roman culture there; most of former Mauretania Caesariensis became part of the westernmost Islamic province, henceforth called the Maghreb.

Episcopal sees

Ancient episcopal sees of Mauretania Caesariensis listed in the Annuario Pontificio as titular sees:^[1]

Ala Miliaria (Beniane)
Albulae
Altava (Ouled Mimoun, Hadjar-Er-Roum)
Amaura (Amourah)
Ambia (near Hammam-Bou-Hanifia)
Aquae in Mauretania (Hammam Righa District)
Aquae Sirenses (ruins at Hammam-Bou-Hanifia)
Arena (Bou-Saada?)
Arsennaria (Bou-Râs?)
Auzia (Aumale, Sour-Khazlam)
Bacanaria
Baliana (L'Hillil?)
Bapara (near the promontory of Ksila?)
Benepota
Bida (ruins of Djemâa-Sahridj?)
Caesarea, the Metropolitan Archbishopric
Caltadria
Capra
Caput Cilla (ruins of El-Gouéa?)
Cartennae
Castellum Ripae (ruins of Hadjar-Ouaghef?)
Castellum Tatroportus
Castellum Tingitii (Al Asnam)
Castellum Iabar
Castellum Medianum
Castellum Minus (Coléa, near Algiers)
Castra Nova (Mohammadia)
Castra Severiana (Lalla Marnia? Chanzy, Sidi-Ali-Ben-Joub?)
Catabum Castra (Saint-Aimé, Djidioua?)
Catrum
Catula (Oued Damous?)
Cenae (Kenais Islands)
Cissi (Djinet)
Columnata (Khemisti)
Corniculana
Elephantaria in Mauretania (ruins at (El) Harrach)
Fallaba (Djelfa?)
Fidoloma
Flenucleta
Floriana (Letourneux, Derrag?)
Flumenzer (Bou Medfa)
Fronta
Giru Mons (ruins of Yerroum?)
Gratianopolis
Gunugus (Sidi-Brahim)
Gypsaria (Honeïn)
Ida in Mauretania
Igilgilli (in the valley of Bou-Sellam?)
Iomnium (port at Tzigiri)
Ita
Iunca in Mauretania
Lamdia (Médéa)
Lari Castellum (Imilaën)
Maiuca
Malliana (Khemis Miliana)
Manaccenser (in the region of Cherchell)
Masuccaba
Maturba
Maura (Douelt-Zerga?)
Mauriana
Maxita (in the region of Al-Asnam?)
Media
Mina (ruins near Rezilane)
Muteci (near Aïn-El-Anab?)
Nabala
Nasbinca
Noba
Novica (ruins of Aïn-Nouïssy?)
Numida (in the territory of Amoura)
Obbi
Obori (Sidi Fredj)
Oppidum Novum (Aïn Defla)
Panatoria
Pomaria (Tlemcen)
Rapidum (Masqueray, Sour-Djouab)
Regiae (Arbal)
Reperi
Rusada (Azeffoun)
Rusguniae (Tamentfoust)
Rusubbicari (Mers El Hadjadj)
Rusubisir (in the territory of Tiza)
Rusuccuru
Satafi
Sereddeli
Serta
Sesta
Sfasferia
Siccesi (ruins of Takembrit)
Sinnada in Mauretania (ruins of Kenada?)
Sita (in the west of the province
Subbar
Sufar
Sufasar (Amourah)
Summula
Tabaicara
Tabla (Tablat?, Tablast?)
Taborenta (ruins near Saida?)
Tabunia
Tamada (Aïn-Tamda near Masqueray?)
Tamazuca (ruins of Grimidi?)
Tanaramusa (Mousaïaville, El-Hadjeab? Berrouaghia?)
Tasaccora (Sigi)
Tatilti (Souk El Khemis)
Tigamibena
Tigava
Tigisi in Mauretania (between Dellys and Taourga)
Timici (Timsionin?)
Timidana
Tingaria (Tiaret?)
Tipasa in Mauretania
Tubia (ruins of Henchir-Toubia?)
Tubunae in Mauretania
Turris in Mauretania
Tuscamia
Ubaba
Usinaza (Seneg)
Vagal (near the ruins of Sidi-Ben-Thiour)
Vanariona (ruins of Ksar-Tyr?)
Vannida
Vardimissa (near Medjana)
Villa Nova
Vissalsa (on the Oued-Melah river?)
Voncaria (ruins of Boghar?)
Voncariana (near the ruins of Boghasi?)
Vulturia (ruins at the Falco promontory?)
Zucchabar

Economy

Northern Africa under Roman rule.

The principal exports from Caesariensis were purple dyes and valuable woods; and the Amazigh or Mauri were highly regarded by the Romans as soldiers, especially light cavalry. They produced one of Trajan's best generals, Lusius Quietus, and the emperor Macrinus.

References

↑ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013

Sources

Westermann, Großer Atlas zur Weltgschichte (in German)

Provinces of the Roman Empire at its greatest extent (117 AD)

Achaea Aegyptus Africa proconsularis Alpes Cottiae Alpes Maritimae Alpes Poeninae Arabia Petraea Armenia Asia Assyria Bithynia et Pontus Britannia Cappadocia Cilicia Corsica et Sardinia Creta et Cyrenaica Cyprus Dacia Dalmatia Epirus Galatia Gallia Aquitania Gallia Belgica Gallia Lugdunensis Gallia Narbonensis Germania Inferior Germania Superior Hispania Baetica Hispania Tarraconensis Italia ^† Iudaea Lusitania Lycia et Pamphylia Macedonia Mauretania Caesariensis Mauretania Tingitana Mesopotamia Moesia Inferior Moesia Superior Noricum Pannonia Inferior Pannonia Superior Raetia Sicilia Syria Thracia ^† Italy was never constituted as a province, instead retaining a special juridical status until Diocletian's reforms.

Late Roman provinces (4th–7th centuries AD)

History

As found in the Notitia Dignitatum. Provincial administration reformed and dioceses established by Diocletian, c. 293. Permanent praetorian prefectures established after the death of Constantine I. Empire permanently partitioned after 395. Exarchates of Ravenna and Africa established after 584. After massive territorial losses in the 7th century, the remaining provinces were superseded by the theme system in c. 640–660, although in Asia Minor and parts of Greece they survived under the themes until the early 9th century.

Western Empire (395–476)

Praetorian Prefecture
of Gaul

Diocese of Gaul	Alpes Poeninae et Graiae Belgica I Belgica II Germania I Germania II Lugdunensis I Lugdunensis II Lugdunensis III Lugdunensis IV Maxima Sequanorum

Diocese of Vienne¹	Alpes Maritimae Aquitanica I Aquitanica II Narbonensis I Narbonensis II Novempopulania Viennensis

Diocese of Spain	Baetica Balearica Carthaginensis Gallaecia Lusitania Mauretania Tingitana Tarraconensis

Diocese of the Britains	Britannia I Britannia II Flavia Caesariensis Maxima Caesariensis Valentia (?)

Praetorian Prefecture
of Italy

Diocese of Suburbicarian Italy	Apulia et Calabria Campania Corsica Lucania et Bruttii Picenum Suburbicarium Samnium Sardinia Sicilia Tuscia et Umbria Valeria

Diocese of Annonarian Italy	Alpes Cottiae Flaminia et Picenum Annonarium Liguria et Aemilia Raetia I Raetia II Venetia et Istria

Diocese of Africa²	Africa proconsularis (Zeugitana) Byzacena Mauretania Caesariensis Mauretania Sitifensis Numidia Cirtensis Numidia Militiana Tripolitania

Diocese of Pannonia³	Dalmatia Noricum mediterraneum Noricum ripense Pannonia I Pannonia II Savia Valeria ripensis

Eastern Empire (395–c. 640)

Praetorian Prefecture
of Illyricum

Diocese of Dacia	Dacia Mediterranea Dacia Ripensis Dardania Moesia I Praevalitana

Diocese of Macedonia	Achaea Creta Epirus nova Epirus vetus Macedonia I Macedonia II Salutaris Thessalia

Praetorian Prefecture
of the East

Diocese of Thrace⁵	Europa Haemimontus Moesia II⁴ Rhodope Scythia⁴ Thracia

Diocese of Asia⁵	Asia Caria⁴ Hellespontus Insulae⁴ Lycaonia (370) Lycia Lydia Pamphylia Pisidia Phrygia Pacatiana Phrygia Salutaris

Diocese of Pontus⁵	Armenia I⁵ Armenia II⁵ Armenia Maior⁵ Armenian Satrapies⁵ Armenia III (536) Armenia IV (536) Bithynia Cappadocia I⁵ Cappadocia II⁵ Galatia I⁵ Galatia II Salutaris⁵ Helenopontus⁵ Honorias⁵ Paphlagonia⁵ Pontus Polemoniacus⁵

Diocese of the East⁵	Arabia Cilicia I Cilicia II Cyprus⁴ Euphratensis Isauria Mesopotamia Osroene Palaestina I Palaestina II Palaestina III Salutaris Phoenice I Phoenice II Libanensis Syria I Syria II Salutaris Theodorias (528)

Diocese of Egypt⁵	Aegyptus I Aegyptus II Arcadia Augustamnica I Augustamnica II Libya Superior Libya Inferior Thebais Superior Thebais Inferior

Other territories

Taurica Quaestura exercitus (536) Spania (552)

¹ Later the Septem Provinciae
² Re-established after reconquest by the Eastern Empire in 534 as the separate Prefecture of Africa
³ Later the Diocese of Illyricum
⁴ Placed under the Quaestura exercitus in 536
⁵ Affected (i.e. boundaries modified, abolished or renamed) by Justinian I's administrative reorganization in 534–536

Romano-Berber cities in Roman North Africa

Morocco	Anfa Iulia Constantia Zilil Iulia Valentia Banasa Iulia Campestris Babba Lixus ² Mogador Sala ¹ Tamuda ¹ Thamusida Tingis Volubilis ¹

Algeria	Aquae Calidae Albulae Altava Auzia Calama Caesarea Cartennas Castellum Dimmidi Castellum Tingitanum Castra Nova Cirta Civitas Popthensis Collo Cohors Breucorum Diana Veteranorum Djémila ¹ Gemellae Gunugu Hippo Regius Icosium ¹ Igilgili Iomnium Lambaesis Lamasba Madauros Mascula Mesarfelta Milevum Numerus Syrorum Oppidum Novum Parthenia Pomaria Portus Divinus Portus Magnus Quiza Xenitana Rapidum Rusazu Rusguniae Rusucurru Saldae Setifis Siga Thagaste Thamugadi ¹ Theveste Thibilis Thubursicum Tiddis Tingartia Tipasa ¹ Tubusuctu Tubunae Unica Colonia Uzinaza Vescera Zarai Zuccabar

Tunisia	Althiburos Bulla Regia Capsa Carthago ¹ Cillium Dougga ¹ Gightis Hadrumetum ¹ Hippo Diarrhytus Kelibia Leptis Parva Mactaris Pheradi Majus Pupput Rucuma Ruspae Scillium Sicca Simitthus Sufetula Tacapae Taparura Sufes Thabraca Thanae Thapsus Thuburbo Majus Thuburnica Thysdrus Turris Tamalleni Utica Uthina Vaga Zama Regia

Libya	Cydamus ¹ Gerisa Leptis Magna ¹ Oea Sabratha ¹

Spain	Septem Rusadir

Kingdoms and Provinces	Mauretania Mauretania Tingitana Mauretania Caesariensis Numidia Roman Africa Creta et Cyrenaica Roman Egypt Diocese of Africa Zeugitana Byzacena Vandal Kingdom Praetorian prefecture of Africa Exarchate of Africa

Related articles	North Africa during Antiquity African Romance Limes Tripolitanus Christianity in Roman Africa

¹ UNESCO World Heritage Sites ² Proposed

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