Byzacena (or Byzacium) ( grc, Βυζάκιον, ''Byzakion'') was a Late
Roman province
The Roman provinces (Latin: ''provincia'', pl. ''provinciae'') were the administrative regions of Ancient Rome outside Roman Italy that were controlled by the Romans under the Roman Republic and later the Roman Empire. Each province was rule ...
in the central part of
Roman North Africa
Africa Proconsularis was a Roman province on the northern African coast that was established in 146 BC following the defeat of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisia, the northeast of Algeria, ...
, which is now roughly
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
, split off from
Africa Proconsularis
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
.
History
At the end of the 3rd century AD, the Roman emperor
Diocletian
Diocletian (; la, Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus, grc, Διοκλητιανός, Diokletianós; c. 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed ''Iovius'', was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Gaius Valerius Diocles ...
divided the great Roman province of
Africa Proconsularis
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
into three smaller provinces: Zeugitana in the north, still governed by a proconsul and referred to as Proconsularis; Byzacena to its adjacent south, and
Tripolitania
Tripolitania ( ar, طرابلس '; ber, Ṭrables, script=Latn; from Vulgar Latin: , from la, Regio Tripolitana, from grc-gre, Τριπολιτάνια), historically known as the Tripoli region, is a historic region and former province o ...
to its adjacent south, roughly corresponding to southeast
Tunisia
)
, image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg
, map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa
, image_map2 =
, capital = Tunis
, largest_city = capital
, ...
and northwest
Libya
Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
. Byzacena corresponded roughly to eastern Tunisia or the modern Tunisian region of
Sahel
The Sahel (; ar, ساحل ' , "coast, shore") is a region in North Africa. It is defined as the ecoclimatic and biogeographic realm of transition between the Sahara to the north and the Sudanian savanna to the south. Having a hot semi-arid c ...
.
Hadrumetum
Hadrumetum, also known by #Names, many variant spellings and names, was a Phoenician Phoenician colonies, colony that pre-dated Carthage. It subsequently became one of the most important cities in Roman Africa before Vandal Kingdom, Vandal and Uma ...
(modern
Sousse
Sousse or Soussa ( ar, سوسة, ; Berber:''Susa'') is a city in Tunisia, capital of the Sousse Governorate. Located south of the capital Tunis, the city has 271,428 inhabitants (2014). Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf ...
) became the capital of the newly made province, whose governor had the rank of ''
consularis ''Consularis'' is a Latin adjective indicating something pertaining to the position or rank of consul. In Ancient Rome it was also used as a noun (plural ''consulares'') to designate those senators who had held the office of consul or attained con ...
''. At this period the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Byzacena was, after the great metropolis
Carthage
Carthage was the capital city of Ancient Carthage, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classi ...
, the most important city in Roman (North) Africa west of
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and its
Patriarch of Alexandria
The Patriarch of Alexandria is the archbishop of Alexandria, Egypt. Historically, this office has included the designation "pope" (etymologically "Father", like "Abbot").
The Alexandrian episcopate was revered as one of the three major episco ...
.
Episcopal sees
Ancient episcopal sees of Byzacena listed in the ''
Annuario Pontificio
The ''Annuario Pontificio'' (Italian for ''Pontifical Yearbook'') is the annual directory of the Holy See of the Catholic Church. It lists the popes in chronological order and all officials of the Holy See's departments. It also provides names ...
'' as
titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular metropolitan" (highest rank), "titular archbish ...
s:
*
Abaradira
Abaradira was a Roman era city in the Roman province of Byzacena. Its exact location is unknown but it would have been in the central part of what is today Tunisia.
Abaradira was also the seat of an ancient bishopric. Only one bishop is known fro ...
*
Abari
__NOTOC__
Abari ( ka, აბარი) is a village in Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti region, Georgia. It is part of the Likheti commune, Ambrolauri municipality, with the population of 122, mostly (99.2%) ethnic Georgians, as of the 2014 cens ...
*
Abidda
Abidda is the name of an ancient Roman city in the Roman province of Africa proconsularis or in late antiquity in the province of Byzacena. The exact location of the town is not known for certain but it was in northern Tunisia; the ruins at Hench ...
(
ruins
Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...
of
Ksour-Abbeda Dzemda is a locality in Tunisia.
The site is located near Jougan, Tunisia 20 kilometers south west of Zaghouan. The site is notable for ruins from the Roman era. The ruins are considered to be two separate Roman settlements, situated on opposites ...
)
*
Acholla
Acholla ( grc-gre, Ἀχόλλα, ''Akhólla'') also latinised as Achilla or Achulla, was a Roman- Berber city on the sea-coast in the ancient province of Africa Propria (Byzacena) in modern Tunisia. It was located little above the northern extr ...
(Henchir-El-Alia)
*
Aeliae
Aeliae or Æliæ was a Roman-era city in the province of Byzacena.
The town must have been of some importance as it was made a bishopric early after the Council of Nicaea and it was a Catholic diocese throughout antiquity.
Its exact location i ...
(Henchir-Mraba?
Henchir-Merelma
Henchir-Merelma is a locality and archaeological site in the Mahdia Governorate of Tunisia.
The ruins at Henchir-Merelma are near the Cherita River and Sebkhet de Sidi El Hani lakes and date from the time of the Roman Empire and is tentatively i ...
)
*
Africa
Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...
(Mahdia)
*
Afufenia
Afufenia (also called ''Afufeniensis'') was a Roman era city in the province of Byzacena. Its exact location is unknown, but it would have been situated in central Tunisia.
Afufenia was also the seat of an ancient Catholic bishopric. and was me ...
*
Aggar Aggar may refer to the following :
* Aggar (city), an ancient Roman town and former bishopric in Byzacena, now a Latin Catholic titular see
* ''Aggar'' (film), a Bollywood film
{{disambiguation ...
Aurusuliana Aurusuliana was a Roman Era city located in what was the Roman Province of Byzacena (Roman North Africa) and today modern Tunisia. The exact site of the city remains unknown and a source of some controversy.
It is now generally considered to have be ...
(in the territory of Henchir-Guennara)
*
Ausafa Ausafa or Uzappa was a Roman era town, in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis and in late antiquity Byzacena.
The town is tentatively identified with the ruins of Ksour-Abd-El-Melek near the town of Maktar in Siliana Governorate, northern T ...
*
Autenti
Autenti (Latin: Rite Autentensis) was a Roman– Berber civitas and bishopric in Africa Proconsularis. It was a diocese of the Roman Catholic Church.
Autenti was a civitas of the Roman province of Byzacena, the ruins of which are situated bet ...
Bahanna Dhorbania, also known as ''Henchir Oued Nebhana'', is a village and locality in Tunisia. It's also the site of Ancient city and former bishopric Bahanna, now a Latin Catholic titular see.
Location
Dhorbania is in the Kairouan Governorate of Tunis ...
(Henchir-Nebahna, ruins at Dhorbania?)located at Latitude: 36.19392 - Longitude: 10.02064.
* Bararus (Henchir-Ronga, Rougga)
*
Bassiana
''Acritoscincus'' is a genus of Australian skinks (family Scincidae). It belongs to the ''Eugongylus'' group; the genus ''Oligosoma
''Oligosoma'' is a genus of small to medium-sized skinks (family Scincidae) found only in New Zealand, Norfol ...
Bennefa
The Diocese of Bennefa ( la, Rite Bennefensis, link=no) is a home suppressed and titular see of the Roman Catholic Church.
Bennefa, identifiable with Oglet-Khefifa in modern Tunisia, is an ancient civitas of the Roman province of Byzacena. and a se ...
(Oglet-Khefifa)
*
Bladia Henchir-Baldia is an archaeological site and locality in southern Tunisia. The stone ruins are tentatively associated with Bladia, a civitas of the Roman province of Byzacena during the Roman Empire. It was a Catholic bishopric.
Bladia was the seat ...
Carcabia
The Diocese of Carcabia is a titular see of the Roman Catholic Church.
Historically, three bishops are mentioned being from Carcabia:
*Victorian participated in the Council of Cabarsussi, held in 393 by Maximian (Bishop of Carthage), Maximianus, a ...
Cercina
Cercina () is a ''frazione'' (rural borough) of the municipality of Sesto Fiorentino, in the Metropolitan City of Florence, central Italy, located on the slopes of Mount Morello
Monte Morello is the highest mountain (934 m.) in the Flore ...
(
Kerkennah Islands
Kerkennah Islands ( aeb, قرقنة '; Ancient Greek: ''Κέρκιννα Cercinna''; Spanish:''Querquenes'') are a group of islands lying off the east coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabès, at . The Islands are low-lying, being no more than abo ...
Crepedula
Crepedula was an ancient Roman–Berber civitas in the province of Byzacena in Africa Proconsularis. It was located in modern Tunisia. The town was also the seat of a Catholic diocese.
There are three known bishops of this diocese.
* The Catholic ...
Drua
Drua, also known as na drua, n'drua, ndrua or waqa tabu ("sacred canoe", ), is a double-hull sailing boat that originated in the south-western Pacific islands. Druas do not tack but rather shunt (stern becomes the bow and vice versa). Both ends o ...
Dura (Titular See)
Dura was an Ancient city and bishopric in Roman North Africa, which remains a Latin Catholic titular see.
History
Dura was among the many cities in the Roman province of Byzacena that became a suffragan diocese. Its precise Roman location, in ...
*
Edistiana Edistiana was an ancient Roman–Berber city in the province of Africa Proconsularis and in late antiquity of Byzacena. It was located in the modern Tunisia. It was a former Catholic diocese.
Edistiana was a titular bishopric of the Roman C ...
Febiana {{unreferenced, date=July 2017
Febiana was city and former bishopric in Roman North Africa, which only remains a Latin Catholic titular see.
History
Febina, in present-day Tunisia, was among the many cities of sufficient importance in the Roman ...
*
Feradi Maius Pheradi Majius is a locality and archaeological site in Tunisia located at 36.250003° N 10.397047° E near the modern town of Sidi Khalifa in Sousse Governorate, Tunisia that is located at 36° 14′ 58″ N, 10° 23′ 57″E.
During the Roman Em ...
Germaniciana Abbir Germaniciana also known as Abir Cella is the name of a Roman and Byzantine-era city in the Roman province of Africa proconsularis (today northern Tunisia). The city was also the seat of a bishopric, in the ecclesiastical province of Carthag ...
(ruins of Ksour-El-Maïeta? Melloul? ruins of Hadjeh-El-Aïoun?)
* Gratiana
* Gubaliana (ruins of Djebeliana? ruins of Henchir-Goubel?)
*
Gummi in Byzacena {{refimprove, date=February 2017
Gummi in Byzacena was a city and bishopric in Roman Africa, which remains a Latin Catholic titular see.
History
The city, in modern Tunisia, presumed near modern Henchir-Gelama or Henchir-El-Senem, was important ...
Hadrumetum
Hadrumetum, also known by #Names, many variant spellings and names, was a Phoenician Phoenician colonies, colony that pre-dated Carthage. It subsequently became one of the most important cities in Roman Africa before Vandal Kingdom, Vandal and Uma ...
(Sousse), the Metropolitan Archbishopric
*
Hermiana Hermiana was a town in the Roman province of Byzacena. It may have been situated in the plain of Bled Hammiane, and had its own bishop. The Diocese of Africa, diocese is now a titular see of the Catholic Church.
The Latin adjective relating to the e ...
Hirina
Hirina (Hirena) was a city and bishopric in southern Tunisia, known only through ecclesiastical records, which became a Latin titular bishopric.
Nothing is known of the city, the name of which may have been Hirina, Hiren or Iren., except that it ...
Iubaltiana
Iubaltiana was a Roman– Berber '' civitas'' (town) in the province of Africa Proconsularis and in late antiquity in Byzacena. The town has been tentatively identified with ruins near Kairouan in today's Tunisia.
Iubaltiana was also the sea ...
(at
Kairouan
Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( ar, ٱلْقَيْرَوَان, al-Qayrawān , aeb, script=Latn, Qeirwān ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by th ...
Leptiminus
Lemta, historically Leptiminus, is a town in Tunisia with a history going back over 3,000 years.
History
The history of the town starts in the 13th century b.c.e. with the founding attributed to Phoenician sailors.
*
Limisa
Limisa (today Aïn-Lemsa) is a town and archaeological site in Kairouan Governorate, Tunisia. It is located 50 kilometers west of kairouan. The town was a Roman Catholic diocese.
The street pattern of the village is fairly regular in its layout an ...
Marazanae Marazanae was a civitas, Roman town of the Roman province of Byzacena during the Roman Empire and into late antiquity. Location
The town was between Sufes and Aquae Regiae.
The ruins at Henchir-Guennara, (Tunisia) dating from the Roman Empire are ...
Maximiana in Byzacena Maximiana in Byzacena (Italian : Massimiana di Bizacena ) is a titular bishopric of the Roman Catholic Church . It goes back to a former bishopric in the Roman province of Byzacena or Africa proconsularis in the Sahel region of Tunisia.
The cath ...
(near
Sousse
Sousse or Soussa ( ar, سوسة, ; Berber:''Susa'') is a city in Tunisia, capital of the Sousse Governorate. Located south of the capital Tunis, the city has 271,428 inhabitants (2014). Sousse is in the central-east of the country, on the Gulf ...
Sfax
Sfax (; ar, صفاقس, Ṣafāqis ) is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Berber Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterranean ...
Munatiana Munatiana was an ancient Roman- Berber civitas located in the province of Byzacena in the present-day Sahel region of Tunisia. The former town was also the seat of an old Christian diocese, which remains a titular bishopric of the Roman Catholic ...
Nara
The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an " independent federal agency of the United States government within the executive branch", charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It i ...
Nepte
Nefta (or Nafta; ) is a Tunisian List of cities in Tunisia, municipality and an oasis in Tozeur Governorate north of the Chott el Djerid.
Religious significance
Nefta is considered by most Sufis to be the spiritual home of Sufism, a mysticism, ...
Sufes
Sufes was a town in the late Roman province of Byzacena, which became a Christian bishopric that is included in the Catholic Church's list of titular sees.
The town
The ruins of Roman Sufes are found near Sbiba a village in Tunisia's province of ...
Sullectum
Salakta is a small Tunisian village situated by the sea.
Salakta has been occupied or ruled by many civilisations, including the Phoenicians, Byzantines, Romans, and Muslim Oubéidines. The attractions include a beach, catacombs, an ancient cem ...
Tamata 300px, An Saint Paraskeva with tamata hung beside itCrete 2001. The saint holds a plate with two eyeballs on it. She is considered to be a healer of the blind. One of her visitors has left a votive offering (''tama'') depicting eyes to indicate wh ...
Tambeae
Tambeae was a Roman civitas located in the province of Byzacena in Africa Proconsulare. It existed from the Roman era into late antiquity.
Bishopric
Tambeae must have been of some importance as it was the seat of an ancient Christian diocese whi ...
Tanudaia The diocese of Tanudaia (in Latin: Dioecesis Tanudaiensis) is a suppressed and titular see of the Roman Catholic Church located in today's Tunisia.
Originally an Late antiquity, ancient bishopric, episcopal seat in the Roman province of Byzacena. T ...
*
Taparura
Taparura was an ancient Berber, Punic and Roman city in the location of modern-day Sfax, Tunisia. It was a former Catholic diocese.
The same ancient name was revived in the 1980s as a coastal urban development project on the location of former che ...
Tetci The diocese of Tetci ( la, Dioecesis Tetcitana, link=no) is a suppressed and titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. An exact location of the town is now lost to history but it was in today's Tunisia.
Tecti was an ancient bishopric of the Roman ...
Thapsus
Thapsus, also known as Tampsus and as Thapsus Minor to distinguish it from Thapsus in Sicily, was a Carthaginian and Roman port near present-day Bekalta, Tunisia.
Geography
Thapsus was established on Ras ed-Dimas, an easily defended promontory ...
*
Thasbalta
Thasbalta was a city and Catholic diocese in the Roman province of Africa proconsularis during the Roman Empire and of Byzacena during late antiquity.
The exact location of this city is unknown but it was in the Oued es Segui river valley, north o ...
(in the valley of Segui?)
*
Thelepte
Thelepte ( ber, تلابت) was a city in the Roman province of Byzacena, now in western Tunisia. It is located near the border with Algeria about 5 km north from the modern town of Fériana and 30 km south-west of the provincial capital ...
*
Thenae
Thenae or Thenai ( grc, Θεναί), also written Thaena and Thaenae, was a Carthaginian and Roman town (') located in or near Thyna, now a suburb of Sfax on the Mediterranean coast of southeastern Tunisia.
Name
The city was founded with the ...
(
Thyna
Thyna, formerly Henchir-Tina, is a town and commune in the Sfax Governorate, Tunisia. As of 2004 it had a population of 26,635.Theuzi Theuzi is a former ancient city and bishopric in Roman Africa and present Latin Catholic titular see.
Its modern location is unclear, but is believed to have been somewhere in present Tunisia.
History
Aquae Novae was important enough in the Rom ...
Thysdrus
Thysdrus was a Carthaginian town and Roman colony near present-day El Djem, Tunisia. Under the Romans, it was the center of olive oil production in the provinces of Africa and Byzacena and was quite prosperous. The surviving amphitheater is a W ...
*
Tigias
Tigias was a Roman- Berber town in the province of Africa Proconsularis in Byzacena. Its stone ruins are located in Henchir-Taus in the oasis of Kriz, Tunisia.
The city was also the seat of an ancient diocese, which remains a titular see of the ...
(Henchir-Taus, in the oasis of Kriz)
*
Tiguala Tiguala was an ancient Roman-Berber city in the province of Byzacena. The exact location of the town remains unknown for certain, but it was in Sahel in northern Tunisia.
Bishopric
Tiguala was also the seat of an ancient diocese, which remains a ti ...
Turrisblanda Roman Africa map
Turrisblanda, was a Roman and Byzantine era '' colonia'' (town) in the Roman Empire province of Byzacena in what is today modern Tunisia. Its exact location remains unknown. It was also a capital of an historic diocese of the Roman ...
Turris Tamalleni Turris Tamalleni was a town in North Africa, dating from the Carthageinian, Roman, Byzantine and Vandal era.
Geography
The town was west of Tacapes and South of Capsa. It is located on the oasis of Mansura, 1.5 kilometers from Telmine and 7.5 ...
(ruins of Oum-Es-Samâa)
*
Tusuros
Tozeur ( ar, توزر, ; ber, ⵜⵓⵣⴻⵔ, Tuzər) is a city in southwest Tunisia. The city is located northwest of Chott el Djerid, in between this Chott and the smaller Chott el Gharsa. It is the capital of Tozeur Governorate. It was the ...
Vassinassa Vassinassa was an ancient Roman– Berber city in the province of Byzacena. The exact location of the town is not known for certain, but it was in northern Tunisia.
Bishopric
Vassinassa was the seat of an ancient bishopric, which remains a tit ...
*
Vegesela in Byzacena Vegesela in Byzacena was a Roman Era town tentatively identified with ruins at Henchir-Recba in modern Tunisia. The town was in the Roman province of Byzacena.
The ancient town was also the seat of an ancient Christian Bishopric, which survives to ...
Victoriana
Victoriana is a term used to refer to material culture related to the Victorian period (1837–1901). It often refers to decorative objects, but can also describe a variety of artifacts from the era including graphic design, publications, phot ...
Vita
Vita or VITA (plural vitae) is Latin for "life", and may refer to:
* ''Vita'', the usual start to the title of a biography in Latin, by which (in a known context) the work is often referred to; frequently of a saint, then called hagiography
* Vit ...
(ruins of Beni-Derraj?)
*
Zella (see) The Diocese of Zella ( la, Dioecesis Zellensis, link=no) is a suppressed and titular see of the Roman Catholic Church.
The diocese of Zella, is located in today's Tunisia.
During the Roman Empire the Diocese was centered on a Roman town of the Ro ...
(Zaouila, suburb of
Mahdia
Mahdia ( ar, المهدية ') is a Tunisian coastal city with 62,189 inhabitants, south of Monastir and southeast of Sousse.
Mahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax
Sfax (; ar, صفاقس, Ṣafāqis ) is a city in Tunisia, located ...
? ruins of Zellez?)
See also
*
List of Catholic dioceses in Tunisia
The Catholic Church in Tunisia is part of the worldwide Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope in Rome.
Dioceses
The Catholic church in Tunisia presently comprises only a single Latin archbishopric, in the national capital T ...
*
List of Catholic dioceses (structured view)
As of October 5, 2021, the Catholic Church in its entirety comprises 3,171 ecclesiastical jurisdictions, including over 652 archdioceses and 2,248 dioceses, as well as apostolic vicariates, apostolic exarchates, apostolic administrations, apo ...
*
List of Catholic titular sees
This is the official list of titular sees of the Catholic Church included in the ''Annuario Pontificio''. Archiepiscopal sees are shown in bold.
The Italian-language ''Annuario Pontificio'' devotes some 200 pages to listing these sees, with up ...