Graham, Alexander: Roman Africa: an outline of the history of the Roman occupation of North Africa ; based chiefly upon inscriptions and monumental remains in that country (London [u.a.], 1902)

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Roman Africa

In a subsequent reign it bore the honoured designation of
or do splendidissimus Colonia Kalamensium, or, according to
De la Mare, civitas splendidissima Kalamensium.

There was a group of towns and villages in the neigh-
bourhood of Kalama which, at a later period of the Empire,
became thickly populated, and, although of no political import-
ance, they bear testimony to the success of Roman colonisation
in the interior of the country towards the close of the second
century. There is nothing remarkable about the monumental
remains of Kalama, or of the neighbouring town of Tibilis, now
known as Announa. They are not in the best style of Roman
art, and are indicative of prosperity rather than culture among
the inhabitants. In both cases they cover a large tract of land,
and inscriptions, both dedicatory and votive, are numerous.1
A healthy climate, fertile soil, charming scenery, and sheltered
woods must have proved attractive to a good class of citizens.
In addition, the proximity of the Agues TibilitancB, held in high
repute for their healing powers in rheumatic affections and
cutaneous complaints, may have induced many families to take
up their residence in some neighbouring town. The appearance
of these waters, heavily charged with carbonate of lime, is extra-
ordinary. As they bubble up from the surface of the sloping
rock in a well-wooded glen, they fall into a series of cascades
and leave behind them in their flow a deposit of carbonate of
lime, which soon hardens and assumes the appearance of white
marble. The temperature of the water, never varying, is 2030
Fahr., and if the elevation of the source above the sea-level be
taken into account, it will be above the boiling-point of water.
In some parts cones of deposit have been formed nearly forty
feet high, and where the boiling stream has forced its way
through crevices in the rock, small islands of evergreens and
herbage stand out conspicuously in their cinctures of white.
Some of the Roman baths cut out of the rock are still in use,
while others have been partly or wholly submerged by an ac-
cumulated deposit of at least 1,500 years. The Arabs renamed
these waters under the designation of Hammam Meskoutin, or
the Accursed Baths, and, as usual, wove a legendary tale about

1 Charles, Comte de Peysonnel, who visited Announa in 1724, says that 'the
numerous ruins show that it must have been a large and beautiful city.' The monu-
ments existing in the present day may be assigned to a late period of the Empire.