UNESCO World Heritage Site

Timgad
Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List
Trajan's Arch within the ruins of Timgad.
Country	Algeria
Type	Cultural
Criteria	ii, iii, iv
Reference	194
UNESCO region	Arab States
Inscription history
Inscription	1982 (6th Session)

Coordinates: 35°29′03″N 6°28′07″E / 35.484237°N 6.468666°E / 35.484237; 6.468666

Timgad (called Thamugas or Tamugadi in old Berber) was a Roman colonial town in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria, founded by the Emperor Trajan around AD 100. The full name of the town was Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi. Trajan commemorated the city after his mother Marcia, father Marcus Ulpius Traianus and his eldest sister Ulpia Marciana.

Located in modern-day Algeria, about 35 km east of the town of Batna, the ruins are noteworthy for representing one of the best extant examples of the grid plan as used in Roman city planning.

History [edit]

The city was founded ex nihilo as a military colony by the Emperor Trajan around AD 100. It was intended to serve, primarily, as a bastion against the Berbers in the nearby Aures Mountains. It was originally populated largely by Parthian veterans of the Roman army who were granted lands in return for years in service.

The city enjoyed a peaceful existence for the first several hundred years and became a center of Christian activity starting in the 3rd century, and a Donatist center in the 4th century.

In the 5th century, the city was sacked by the Vandals before falling into decline. In AD 535 the Byzantine general Solomon found the city when he came to occupy it. In the following century, the city was briefly repopulated as a primarily Christian city before being sacked by Berbers in the 7th century and being abandoned.^{[citation needed]}

Because no new settlements were founded on the site after the 7th century, the town was partially preserved under sand up to a depth of approximately one meter. The encroachment of the Sahara on the ruins was the principal reason why the town is so well preserved.

After the Berber sacking in the 7th century the city disappeared from history until its excavation in 1881.

Description [edit]

Map of the Archeological site

Located at the intersection of six roads, the city was walled but not fortified. Originally designed for a population of around 15,000, the city quickly outgrew its original specifications and spilled beyond the orthogonal grid in a more loosely organized fashion.

At the time of its founding, the area surrounding the city was a fertile agricultural area, about 1000 meters above sea level.

The original Roman grid plan is magnificently visible in the orthogonal design, highlighted by the decumanus maximus and the cardo lined by a partially restored Corinthian colonnade. The cardo does not proceed completely through the town but instead terminates in a forum at the intersection with the decumanus.

At the west end of the decumanus rises a 12 m high triumphal arch, called Trajan's Arch, which was partially restored in 1900. The arch is principally of sandstone, and is of Corinthian order with three arches, the central one being 11' wide. The arch is also known as the Timgad Arch.

A 3,500-seat theater is in good condition and is used for contemporary productions. The other key buildings include four thermae, a library, and basilica.

The Capitoline Temple is dedicated to Jupiter and is approximately the same dimensions as the Pantheon in Rome. Nearby the capitol is a square church with a circular apse dating from the 7th century AD. Southeast of the city is a large Byzantine citadel built in the later days of the city.

World Heritage Site [edit]

Timgad was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982.

See also [edit]

• Djémila
• Jerash
• Lambaesis

References [edit]

External links [edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Timgad

• UNESCO site on Timgad
• Great Buildings entry on Timgad
• UCSC Site on Timgad with index of photographs.
• Columbia Encyclopedia entry on Timgad
• Photos of Timgad
• Information on Roman Africa
• Videos on Timgad
• Map Location of Timgad

v t e World Heritage Sites in Algeria Al Qal'a of Beni Hammad Djémila Casbah of Algiers M'Zab Valley Tassili n'Ajjer Timgad Tipasa

v t e Batna Province Capital: Batna Districts Aïn Djasser Aïn Touta Arris Barika Batna Bouzina Chemora Djezzar El Madher Ichmoul Menaâ Merouana N'Gaous Ouled Salem Ouled Si Slimane Ras El Aioun Seggana Seriana T'Kout Tazoult Théniet El Abed Timgad Communes Aïn Djasser Aïn Touta Aïn Yagout Amantan Amdoukal Arris Barika Batna Ben Foudhala El Hakania Bitam Boulhilat Boumaguer Boumia Bouzina Djerma Djezzar Draa Etine El Hassi El Madher Fesdis Foum Toub Ghassira Chemora Gosbat Guigba Hidoussa Hayat Ichmoul Inoughissen Kimmel Ksar Bellezma Larbaa Lazrou Lemsane Maafa Menaa Merouana Metkaouak N'Gaous Nouader Oued Chaaba Oued El Ma Oued Taga Ouled Ammar Ouled Aouf Ouled Fadel Ouled Sellam Ouled Si Slimane Ouyoun El Assafir Rahbat Ras Ei Aioun Sefiane Seggana Seriana Talkhamt Taxlent Tazoult Teniet El Abed Tighanimine Tigherghar Tilatou Timgad Tkoutt Zanat El Beida