DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.18096#0082
44
Roman Africa
The history of Theveste is so associated with the Emperor
Vespasian that it seems fitting, in this stage of inquiry, to give
some little account of its progress and of its many interesting
monumental remains. We have no record of its early career,
except that it was not occupied by Carthaginians till the first
Punic war; but its situation, so well adapted for a commercial
centre as well as for a military station, induced the Emperor to
make Theveste the head-quarters of the African legion.1 The
subjugation of this part of the country was attended with many
difficulties, chiefly on account of the lawless character of adjacent
tribes ; and consequently the presence of a large number of
disciplined troops was absolutely necessary for the security of its
inhabitants. Neither Sallust, nor Tacitus, nor Pliny makes
mention of Theveste, its name appearing for the first time in
the geography of Ptolemy.2 The oldest inscriptions are of the
reign of Vespasian, but, with the exception of its being for more
than fifty years the chief military centre of Africa, Theveste was
of little importance till the close of the second century, when it
became one of the richest and most populous of Roman colonies.
Among the ruined monuments of the city, none have attracted
more attention than the Basilica. Built not later than the end
of the first century, and probably commenced during the reign of
Vespasian, it appears to have been almost destroyed, with the
city itself, during the incursions of the Moors and wild tribes of
the Aures in the sixth century. When Solomon, the successor
of Belisarius, arrived at the gates of Theveste he found the whole
place in ruins ; and we learn from an inscription on a triumphal
arch assigned to the third year of Justinian's reign, A.D. 539, that
Theveste civitas a fundamentis cedificata est? The interpretation
by Renier fully attests the rebuilding of the city, and, as Sir
Lambert Playfair has observed, this Byzantine inscription is the
1 In the reign of Tiberius the imperial army, irrespective of native troops raisec"
in the different provinces, consisted of 25 legions. In the time of Trajan there were
30, and under Septimius Severus 32. Each legion comprised 10 companies, the first
company having a full strength of 1,105 infantry and 132 cavalry. In each of the
nine other companies there were 555 infantry and 66 cavalry, altogether 6,600 foot-
soldiers and 726 mounted. Each legion was accompanied by 10 great military
engines, and 55 catapults for discharging stones and arrows. From Trajan to Con-
stantine companies were divided. (Duruy, Histoire Romaine, vol. v., also Vegetius,
Mil. 4, 22.)
2 M. Letronne, Ann. de Const. 1858, p. 29.
3 /. R. A. No. 3089.
Roman Africa
The history of Theveste is so associated with the Emperor
Vespasian that it seems fitting, in this stage of inquiry, to give
some little account of its progress and of its many interesting
monumental remains. We have no record of its early career,
except that it was not occupied by Carthaginians till the first
Punic war; but its situation, so well adapted for a commercial
centre as well as for a military station, induced the Emperor to
make Theveste the head-quarters of the African legion.1 The
subjugation of this part of the country was attended with many
difficulties, chiefly on account of the lawless character of adjacent
tribes ; and consequently the presence of a large number of
disciplined troops was absolutely necessary for the security of its
inhabitants. Neither Sallust, nor Tacitus, nor Pliny makes
mention of Theveste, its name appearing for the first time in
the geography of Ptolemy.2 The oldest inscriptions are of the
reign of Vespasian, but, with the exception of its being for more
than fifty years the chief military centre of Africa, Theveste was
of little importance till the close of the second century, when it
became one of the richest and most populous of Roman colonies.
Among the ruined monuments of the city, none have attracted
more attention than the Basilica. Built not later than the end
of the first century, and probably commenced during the reign of
Vespasian, it appears to have been almost destroyed, with the
city itself, during the incursions of the Moors and wild tribes of
the Aures in the sixth century. When Solomon, the successor
of Belisarius, arrived at the gates of Theveste he found the whole
place in ruins ; and we learn from an inscription on a triumphal
arch assigned to the third year of Justinian's reign, A.D. 539, that
Theveste civitas a fundamentis cedificata est? The interpretation
by Renier fully attests the rebuilding of the city, and, as Sir
Lambert Playfair has observed, this Byzantine inscription is the
1 In the reign of Tiberius the imperial army, irrespective of native troops raisec"
in the different provinces, consisted of 25 legions. In the time of Trajan there were
30, and under Septimius Severus 32. Each legion comprised 10 companies, the first
company having a full strength of 1,105 infantry and 132 cavalry. In each of the
nine other companies there were 555 infantry and 66 cavalry, altogether 6,600 foot-
soldiers and 726 mounted. Each legion was accompanied by 10 great military
engines, and 55 catapults for discharging stones and arrows. From Trajan to Con-
stantine companies were divided. (Duruy, Histoire Romaine, vol. v., also Vegetius,
Mil. 4, 22.)
2 M. Letronne, Ann. de Const. 1858, p. 29.
3 /. R. A. No. 3089.