Mauretania Caesariensis

Roman province in northwest Africa

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Provincia Mauretania Caesariensis

Province of the Roman Empire
42 AD–Late 7th Century

The province of Mauretania Caesariensis within the Roman Empire, c. AD 125
Capital| Caesarea
Historical era| Classical antiquity, Late Antiquity

• Incorporated into the Roman Empire as a full province

| 42 AD

• Vandal Conquest

| 430s AD

• Byzantine partial reconquest by Vandalic War

| 534 AD

• Muslim conquest

| Late 7th Century

Preceded by | Succeeded by

|

|  | Mauretania

|

| Vandal Kingdom
| Vandal Kingdom |

|

Umayyad Caliphate |
Today part of| Algeria

Part of a series on the

History of Algeria

Prehistory

* Aterian Culture (80,000 BC)
* Iberomaurusian Culture (20,000 BC)
* Capsian culture (10,000 BC)
* Rock art in Oran, Djelfa, Tassili and Ahaggar

* Roknia

* Related: Archeology of Algeria

Antiquity

* Madghacen
* Jedars
* Phoenician settlement
* Ancient Carthage
* Numidia (202–46 BC)
* Punic Wars (264–146 BC)
* Jugurthine War (111–106 BC)
* Roman Mauretania and Africa (146 BC–590 AD)
* Vandal Kingdom (435–534 AD)
* Mauro-Roman Kingdom (477–578 AD)
* Kingdom of the Aurès (484–703 AD)
* Kingdom of Altava (578–708 AD)
* Prefecture of Africa (534–585 AD)
* Exarchate of Africa (585–698 AD)

* Early African Church
* Partenia
* Fossatum Africae
* Gemellae

Middle Ages

* Arab conquest (647–709 AD)
* Umayyad Caliphate (703–744 AD)
* Ifranids (742–1066 AD)
* Muhallabids (771–793 AD)
* Rustamids (776–909 AD)
* Idrisids (789–828 AD)
* Aghlabids (800–909 AD)
* Fatimids (909–1171 AD)
* Maghrawas (970–1068 AD)
* Zirids (973–1152 AD)
* Hammadids (1014–1152 AD)
* Almoravids (1040–1147 AD)
* Almohads (1121–1269 AD)
* Marinids (1215–1465 AD)
* Hafsids (1229–1574 AD)
* Zayyanids (1235–1556 AD)

Modern times

Regency of Algiers (16th–19th centuries)

* Ottoman governors
* Kingdom of Beni Abbas
* Kingdom of Kuku
* Spanish Oran
* Barbary pirates / slave trade
* First Barbary War
* Second Barbary War

French Algeria (19th–20th centuries)

* French conquest
* French governors

* Resistance
* Pacification

* Emirate of Abdelkader
* Fatma N'Soumer
* Mokrani Revolt
* Cheikh Bouamama

* World War II
* Sétif and Guelma massacre

Algerian War (1954–1962)

* Nationalism
* RCUA
* FLN
* GPRA
* 1958 crisis
* 1961 putsch
* Évian Accords
* Independence referendum

* Pieds-noirs
* Harkis
* Oujda Group

Contemporary era

1960s–80s

* FFS rebellion
* 1965 coup d'état

* Berber Spring
* 1988 riots

1990s–2000s

* Algerian Civil War
* Timeline
* Massacres

* FIS
* GIA
* High Council of State
* Civil Concord
* Black Spring
* Peace Charter
* Insurgency in the Maghreb

2010s to present

* Arab Spring
* Hirak Movement
* COVID-19 pandemic

Related topics

* Outline of Algeria
* Military history of Algeria
(List of wars involving Algeria)
* Postal history of Algeria
(List of people on stamps of Algeria)
* History of North Africa

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Mauretania Caesariensis (Latin for "Caesarean Mauretania") was a Roman province located in present-day Algeria.[1] The full name refers to its capital Caesarea Mauretaniae (modern Cherchell).

The province had been part of the Kingdom of Mauretania and named for the Mauri people who lived there. Formerly an independent kingdom, and later a client state of Rome, it was annexed into the Empire formally during the reign of Claudius and divided into two provinces about 42 AD. A third province, named Mauretania Sitifensis, was later split off from the eastern portion during the reign of Diocletian in 293 AD. During and after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century, most of the hinterland area was lost, first to the Vandal Kingdom and later to the Mauro-Roman Kingdom, with Roman administration limited to the capital of Caesarea. The land was reconquered by Rome during the reign of Justinian. This province was a part of Praetorian prefecture of Africa, later Exarchate of Africa. The Muslim conquest of the Maghreb brought an end to Roman rule in Mauretania, permanently this time, which became ruled by the Umayyad Caliphate as part of Medieval Muslim Algeria.

## History

[edit]

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

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

Mauretania Caesariensis included eight colonies founded by the Emperor Augustus: Cartennae, Gunugus, Igilgili, Rusguniae, Rusazus, Saldae, Zuccabar, Tubusuctu; two by the Emperor Claudius: Caesarea in Mauretania, formerly the capital of Juba II, who gave it this name in honour of his patron Augustus, and Oppidum Novum; one by the Emperor 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.

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 Setifis (now Sétif) with a significant port at Saldae (presently Béjaïa).[2]

At the time of Diocletian and Constantine the Great, both Sitifensis and Caesariensis were assigned to the administrative Diocese of Africa, under the Praetorian prefecture of Italy. Tingitana belonged to the Diocese of Hispania under the Praetorian prefecture of Gaul, so it was an enclave separate from the European territory of the Diocese and Prefecture it belonged to.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, a Germanic Vandal Kingdom was founded, but the remaining Eastern Empire (now known to historians as the Byzantine Empire) recaptured the area around 533. 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 inland.

During the reign of Maurice, the empire was reorganized, and a number of Exarchates were founded, among them the Exarchate of Africa, which included Mauretania, among other territories. Mauretania Sitifensis was re-merged back into this province and granted the name "Mauretania Prima."

The Muslim conquest of the Maghreb for the caliphate under the Umayyad dynasty meant the end of the Byzantine Exarchate of Africa and Late Antique Roman culture there, and Mauretania Caesariensis became part of the westernmost Islamic province called Maghreb.[citation needed]

## Economy

[edit]

Mosaic of vineyard workers from Caesarea

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.

Ruins of the Roman town of Cuicul in Djemila

## Religion

[edit]

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.

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.

### Episcopal sees

[edit]

Ancient episcopal sees of Mauretania Caesariensis listed in the Annuario Pontificio as titular sees:[3]

* 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 in Mauretania (now Cherchell), 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, Mauritania (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, cfr supra Amaura)
* Obbi, Mauretania
* 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 [it]
* Sesta [it]
* 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 (El-Kherba)
* Tigisis (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, Mauritania (near the ruins of Sidi-Ben-Thiour)
* Vanariona (ruins of Ksar-Tyr?)
* Vannida
* Vardimissa (near Medjana)
* Villa Nova, Mauritania
* Vissalsa (on the Oued-Melah river?)
* Voncaria (ruins of Boghar?)
* Voncariana (near the ruins of Boghasi?)
* Vulturia (ruins at the Falco promontory?)
* Zucchabar

## See also

[edit]

* Notitia Dignitatum

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Michael Brett (2013). Approaching African History. Boydell & Brewer Ltd. p. 120\. ISBN 978-1-84701-063-6.
2. ^ "Map of Mauretania Sitifensis (in blue color) and Mauretania Caesariensis (in light brown color)". Archived from the original on 2017-02-02. Retrieved 2017-10-11.
3. ^ Annuario Pontificio 2013 (Libreria Editrice Vaticana, 2013, ISBN 978-88-209-9070-1), "Sedi titolari", pp. 819-1013

### Sources

[edit]

* Westermann, Großer Atlas zur Weltgschichte (in German)

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Provinces of the early Roman Empire (117 AD)

* Achaia
* Aegyptus
* Africa proconsularis
* Alpes Cottiae
* Alpes Maritimae
* Alpes Graiae et Poeninae
* Arabia Petraea
* Armenia
* Asia
* Assyria
* Bithynia and Pontus
* Britannia
* Cappadocia
* Cilicia
* Corsica and Sardinia
* Crete and Cyrenaica
* Cyprus
* Dacia
* Dalmatia
* Epirus
* Galatia
* Gallia Aquitania
* Gallia Belgica
* Gallia Lugdunensis
* Gallia Narbonensis
* Germania Inferior
* Germania Superior
* Hispania Baetica
* Hispania Lusitania
* Hispania Tarraconensis
* Italia †
* Iudaea
* 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.

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Late Roman and early Byzantine 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 Roman 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 Bruttium
* 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 Histria

Diocese of Africa2|

* Africa proconsularis (Zeugitana)
* Byzacena
* Mauretania Caesariensis
* Mauretania Sitifensis
* Numidia (divided as Cirtensis and Militiana during the Tetrarchy)
* Tripolitania (Roman province)

Eastern Roman Empire (395-c. 640)

| Praetorian prefecture
of Illyricum|

| Diocese of Pannonia3|

* Dalmatia
* Noricum mediterraneum
* Noricum ripense
* Pannonia I
* Pannonia II
* Savia
* Valeria ripensis

|

Diocese of Dacia|

* Dacia Mediterranea
* Dacia Ripensis
* Dardania
* Moesia I
* Praevalitana

Diocese of Macedonia|

* Achaea
* Creta
* Epirus Nova
* Epirus Vetus
* Macedonia Prima
* 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
* Islands4
* 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

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Romano-Berber cities in Roman North Africa

Sorted by contemporary national borders

Morocco|

* Anfa
* Cotta
* Exilissa
* Iulia Constantia Zilil
* Iulia Valentia Banasa
* Iulia Campestris Babba
* Lixus 2
* Mogador
* Oppidum Novum (Tingitana)
* 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
* Cuicul 1
* Diana Veteranorum
* Gemellae
* Gunugus
* Hippo Regius
* Icosium 1
* Igilgili
* Iomnium
* Lamasba
* Lambaesis
* Madauros
* Mascula
* Mesarfelta
* Milevum
* Oppidum Novum (Caesariensis)
* Parthenia
* Pomaria
* Portus Divinus
* Portus Magnus
* Quiza Xenitana
* Rapidum
* Rusguniae
* Rusucurru
* Saldae
* Setifis
* Siga
* Thagaste
* Thamugadi 1
* Theveste
* Thibilis
* Thubursicum
* Tiddis
* Tingartia
* Tipasa 1
* Tubusuctu
* Tubunae
* Unica Colonia
* Uzinaza
* Vescera
* Zaraï
* 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

Egypt|

* Siwa
* Qara
* Farafra

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|

* Roman Africa
* North Africa during classical antiquity
* African Romance
* Limes Tripolitanus
* Christianity in the Roman Africa province
* Early African Church
* Church of Carthage
* Roman colonies in Berber Africa

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