Iulia Constantia Zilil (called later ''Arzeila'') was an ancient

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...

city in Dchar Jdid, located 40 km southwest of

Tangier Tangier ( ; ; ar, طنجة, Ṭanja) is a city in northwestern Morocco. It is on the Moroccan coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar, where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Spartel. The town is the cap ...

and 13 km northeast of

Asilah Asilah (; ar, أزيلا or أصيلة; pt, Arzila; es, Arcila) is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about south of Tangier. Its ramparts and gateworks remain fully intact. History The town's history da ...

. It was one of the three colonias in

Mauretania Tingitana Mauretania Tingitana (Latin for "Tangerine Mauretania") was a Roman province, coinciding roughly with the northern part of present-day Morocco. The territory stretched from the northern peninsula opposite Gibraltar, to Sala Colonia (or Chella ...

(in northern

Morocco Morocco (),, ) officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is the westernmost country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, and has land borders with Algeria to ...

) founded by emperor

Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...

between 33 and 25 BC for veterans of the

battle of Actium The Battle of Actium was a naval battle fought between a maritime fleet of Octavian led by Marcus Agrippa and the combined fleets of both Mark Antony and Cleopatra VII Philopator. The battle took place on 2 September 31 BC in the Ionian Sea, nea ...

History

Iulia Constantia Zilil was originally one of many western Berber towns in the province of Mauretania Tingitana. It had then already been a

Phoenicia Phoenicia () was an ancient thalassocratic civilization originating in the Levant region of the eastern Mediterranean, primarily located in modern Lebanon. The territory of the Phoenician city-states extended and shrank throughout their histor ...

n and Mauretanian settlement since the 4th century BC. The city was an important station on the

Antonine Itinerary The Antonine Itinerary ( la, Itinerarium Antonini Augusti, "The Itinerary of the Emperor Antoninus") is a famous ''itinerarium'', a register of the stations and distances along various roads. Seemingly based on official documents, possibly ...

. It was located at approximately 40 km south-west of

, 13 km in the north-east of Asilah, close to the present village of Dshar Jdid. In the second half of 2nd century AD, the city was surrounded by an enclosure. It comprised residential districts, a big temple and an amphitheater, outside of the city a thermal unit (built in 80 AD) and a cistern with four compartments, supplied with a partly underground aqueduct (built in 130 AD). The most spectacular monument in Iulia Constantia was that of the early Church of Iulia Constantia Zilil. Featuring three naves, it was equipped with a baptistery and various appendices close to the western door. This old church is the only one found in Atlantic

, and was related to Christian adherence among Romanised Berbers.A. Akerraz et al., « Fouilles de Dchar Jdid 1977-1980 », p. 218 The city was finally destroyed during the years 410-430 AD, at the time of the invasion of

Vandal The Vandals were a Germanic people who first inhabited what is now southern Poland. They established Vandal kingdoms on the Iberian Peninsula, Mediterranean islands, and North Africa in the fifth century. The Vandals migrated to the area betw ...

tribes. But evidences show that the city remained populated as a small fishing village until the Arab invasion in the early 8th century.

Notes

Sources

*Eliane Lenoir, "Fouilles de Dchar Jedid", 1977–1980, ''B.A.M.'',XIV, 1981–1982, p. 169-225. (Akerraz et alii). *Eliane Lenoir, "La ville romaine de Zilil du Ier av IVe siècle ap. J.-C., dans L’afrique romaine, Iersiècle av. J.-C - début Ve siècle ap. J.-C., colloque de la SOPHAU", ''Pallas'', 68, 2005, p. 65-76.

External Links

Images of Zilil
in Manar al-Athar digital image resource archive {{Former cities in Morocco Archaeological sites in Morocco Geography of Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima Roman towns and cities in Morocco Coloniae (Roman) Mauretania Tingitana Phoenician colonies in Morocco Populated places established in the 1st century BC 5th-century disestablishments 1st-century BC establishments Roman towns and cities in Mauretania Tingitana

History

Notes

Sources

See also

External Links