# Thubursicum

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Archeological site

Thubursicum Roman theater in Thubursicum Location of Thubursicum in Algeria 36°11′19″N 7°39′33″E / 36.188611°N 7.659167°E / 36.188611; 7.659167 Location Algeria Region Souk Ahras Province

Ancient [Roman theater](/source/Roman_theatre_(structure)) in Khamissa.

*Thubursicum Numidarum* theater.

**Khamissa**, ancient ***Thubursicum Numidarum*** or ***Thubursicum***, is an [Ancient Roman](/source/Ancient_Rome) and [Byzantine](/source/Byzantine_Empire) [archeological site](/source/Archeological_site), in [Souk Ahras Province](/source/Souk_Ahras_Province) of northeastern [Algeria](/source/Algeria).[1]

## Geography

Khamissa is located 40 kilometres (25 mi) southeast of [Guelma](/source/Guelma), the coastal city known as *Calama* by ancient Roman settlers,[2] and 32 kilometres (20 mi) northwest of [Souk Ahras](/source/Souk_Ahras), known as *Thagaste* by ancient Berbers and Romans.[1] It was around 250 kilometres (160 mi) west of ancient [Carthage](/source/Carthage).[3]

## History

Originally the site was a primary settlement of an indigenous [Berber](/source/Berber_people) tribe of [Numidia](/source/Numidia).[1] This city is probably the town of which [Tacitus](/source/Tacitus) speaks in connection with the revolt of [Tacfarinas](/source/Tacfarinas) in the time of [Tiberius](/source/Tiberius) (15 CE to 24 CE).[1]

### Roman era

Khamissa, then known as *Thubursicum*, was a Roman town in the [Maghreb](/source/Maghreb) founded by the Emperor [Trajan](/source/Trajan) around 100 CE, when he elevated it to a *[municipium](/source/Municipium)* (*Municipium Ulpium Traianum Augustum Thubursicu*).[1] Its inhabitants enrolled in the Papiria tribe.[1]

It became a [*colonia* (Roman colony)](/source/Colonia_(Roman)) by 270 CE.[1]

Khamissa became the seat of a [bishopric](/source/Bishopric), with a rectangular [basilica](/source/Basilica) having walls covered with marble constructed in the 2nd century. It was visited by [Augustine of Hippo](/source/Augustine_of_Hippo) (St. Augustine) twice. He served as priest, [coadjutor Bishop](/source/Coadjutor_Bishop), and Bishop in regionally local [Hippo Regius](/source/Hippo_Regius) from 391 to 430.

### Byzantine era

The town became part of the [Vandalic Kingdom of Carthage](/source/Vandal_Kingdom) from 435 to 534. It was reconquered in the [Vandalic War](/source/Vandalic_War) by the [East Roman Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire) (Byzantine Empire) in 534, who built a [Byzantine style](/source/Byzantine_architecture) [chapel](/source/Chapel) and small forts.[1] It remained in the Byzantine [Praetorian prefecture of Africa](/source/Praetorian_prefecture_of_Africa) and [Exarchate of Africa](/source/Exarchate_of_Africa) until the [Muslim conquest of the Maghreb](/source/Muslim_conquest_of_the_Maghreb) in 698.

## Archeological site

Khamissa has a well preserved [Roman theatre](/source/Roman_theatre_(structure)) (built 2nd or 3rd century), considered one of the most beautiful and best-preserved in [North Africa](/source/North_Africa).[1] Other [Roman](/source/Roman_architecture) and Byzantine structures and ruins remain also.

Archaeological excavations, conducted from 1900 to 1922, cleared only one part of the town site. Most of the objects collected then, notably the [Ancient Roman statues](/source/Roman_sculpture), are in [Guelma](/source/Guelma) at the Guelma Museum, Algeria.

## See also

- [North Africa during Antiquity](/source/North_Africa_during_Antiquity)

- [Numidia](/source/Numidia) — *preceding Berber-Libyan kingdom (202 BCE to 46 BCE)*

- [Thagaste](/source/Souk_Ahras) — *nearby ancient Numidian city*

- [Synod of Hippo](/source/Synod_of_Hippo)

- [List of cultural assets of Algeria](/source/List_of_cultural_assets_of_Algeria)

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-3) [***e***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-4) [***f***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-5) [***g***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-6) [***h***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-7) [***i***](#cite_ref-tufts_1-8) [Princeton Encyclopedia: Khamissa (*Thubursicum Numidarum*)](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=thubursicu-numidarum) . accessed Oct . 12 . 2013

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Princeton Encyclopedia: *Calama* (Guelma, Algeria)](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.04.0006%3Aalphabetic+letter%3DC%3Aentry+group%3D1%3Aentry%3Dcalama)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Centre, UNESCO World Heritage. ["Archaeological Site of Carthage"](https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/37). *whc.unesco.org*. Retrieved 2018-01-29.

- S. Gsell, Les monuments antiques de l'Algérie (1901) I-II.

- Atlas archéologique de l'Algérie (1906) 18, Souk-Arrhas, no. 297.

- C. A. Joly, Khamissa, Mdaourouch, Announa (1904).

- L. Leschi, Algérie antique (1952).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Khemissa](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Khemissa).

- [The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites: *THUBURSICU NUMIDARUM* or *THUBURSICUM* (Khamissa, Algeria)](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0006:entry=thubursicu-numidarum) — *detailed descriptions of town's layout and buildings*.

[36°11′19″N 7°39′33″E / 36.18861°N 7.65917°E / 36.18861; 7.65917](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Thubursicum&params=36_11_19_N_7_39_33_E_region:DZ_type:landmark)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Thubursicum](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thubursicum) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thubursicum?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.