Everything about Lambaesis totally explained
Lambaesis, or
Lambaesa, is a
Roman ruin in
Algeria, 7 miles southeast of
Batna and 17 miles west of
Timgad, located next to the modern village of
Tazoult.
Remains
The remains of the Roman town, and more especially of the Roman camp, in spite of wanton vandalism, are among the most interesting ruins in northern Africa. The ruins are situated on the lower terraces of the
Aures Mountains, and consist of
triumphal arches (one to
Septimius Severus, another to
Commodus),
temples,
aqueducts, vestiges of an
amphitheatre,
baths and an immense quantity of masonry belonging to private houses. To the north and east lie extensive
cemeteries with the stones standing in their original alignments; to the west is a similar area, from which, however, the stones have been largely removed for building the modern village.
Of the temple of
Aesculapius only one column is standing, though in the middle of the 19th century its façade was entire. The capitol or
temple dedicated to
Jupiter,
Juno and
Minerva, which has been cleared of debris, has a
portico with eight
columns. On level ground about two-thirds of a mile from the centre of the ancient town stands the camp, its site now partly occupied by the penitentiary and its gardens. It measures 1640 feet by 1476 feet, and in the middle rise the ruins of a building commonly called, but incorrectly, the
praetorium. This noble building, which dates from
268, is 92 feet long by 66 feet broad and 49 feet high; its southern façade has a splendid
peristyle half the height of the wall, consisting of a front row of massive
Ionic columns and an engaged row of
Corinthian pilasters.
Behind this building (which was roofed), is a large court giving access to other buildings, one being the
arsenal. In it have been found many thousands of
projectiles. To the southeast are the remains of the baths. The ruins of both city and camp have yielded many
inscriptions (Renier edited 1500, and there are 4185 in
CIL viii); and, though a very large proportion are
epitaphs of the barest kind, the more important pieces supply an outline of the history of the place. Over 2500 inscriptions relating to the camp have been deciphered. In a museum in the village are objects of antiquity discovered in the vicinity. In addition to inscriptions and statues, there are some fine mosaics found in
1905 near the arch of
Septimius Severus. The statues include those of
Aesculapius and
Hygieia, taken from the temple of Aesculapius.
About 2 miles south of Lambessa are the ruins of
Markuna, the ancient
Verecunda, including two triumphal arches.
History
Lambaesa was a military foundation. The camp of the third
legion (
Legio III Augusta), to which it owes its origin, appears to have been established between
123 and
129, in the time of
Hadrian, whose address to his soldiers was found inscribed on a
pillar in a second camp to the west of the great camp still extant. By
166 mention is made of the
decurions of a
vicus, 10
curiae of which are known by name; and the
vicus became a
municipium probably at the time when it was made the capital of the newly founded province of
Numidia. The legion was removed by
Gordian I, but restored by
Valerian and
Gallienus; and its final departure didn't take place till after
392. The town soon afterwards declined. It never became the seat of a bishop, and no
Christian inscriptions have been found among the ruins.
Further Information
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