The Wilaya of Tebessa

ولاية تبسة
—  Province  —
Map of Algeria highlighting Tébessa
Coordinates: 35°24′N 8°7′ECoordinates: 35°24′N 8°7′E
Country	Algeria
Capital	Tébessa
Government
• PPA president
• Wāli
Area
• Total	14,227 km2 (5,493 sq mi)
Population (2008)[1]
• Total	657,227
• Density	46/km2 (120/sq mi)
Time zone	CET (UTC+01)
Area Code	+213 (0) 37
ISO 3166 code	DZ-12
Districts	12
Municipalities	28

Tébessa (Arabic: تبسة‎, Chaoui: ) is the capital city ofTébessa Province, Algeria, 20 kilometers west from the border withTunisia. Nearby is also a phosphatemine. The city is famous for the traditional Algerian carpets in the region, and is home to over 634 332 people (in 2007).

History

Tbessa In 146 CE it became part of theRoman Empire and was known as Theveste (Hekatompyle in Greek).

During the 1st century CE, the Legio IIIAugusta resided there before being transferred to Lambaesis. It was made a colonia probably under Trajan.

There is mention of a council held there by the Donatists. Among its saints wereSt Lucius, its bishop, who in 256 assisted at the Council of Carthage and died as a martyr two years later; St Maximilianus, martyred 12 March 295; St Crispina, martyred 5 December 304. Some of its bishops are known: Romulus in 349; Urbicus in 411; Felix exiled by the Vandals in 484; Palladius mentioned in an inscription.

During the 4th and 5th century AD Theveste was a centre of Manichaeism as well. In June 1918 a codex of 26 leaves written in Latin by Manichaeans was discovered in a cave near the city. A month later Henri Omont found the missing initial 13 leaves. The whole book is now known as the Tebessa codex and it is kept in Cologne. It has been edited by Markus Stein (Bonn).

It was rebuilt by the patrician Solomon at the beginning of the reign of Justinian I, and he built a tomb there which still exists. Under the Ottoman Empire, Theveste had a garrison ofJanizaries. Tebessa is very rich in ancient monuments, among them being a triumphal archof Caracalla, a temple, a Christian basilica of the 4th century. At the time of Trajan, it was a flourishing city with c. 30,000 inhabitants.

In the 7th century AD, after the Arab invasion of the region, Theveste lost its importance. Later, during in 16th century, the Ottomans established a small military garrison there.

In 1851 it has been occupied by the French. Under the name of Tebessa it became the capital of a canton, then an arrondissement of the départment of Constantine in Algeria, later, it became capital of an arrondissement in the department of Bône, now (1974) it is capital of a province of its own, bearing the same name.

[edit]Main sights 

• Gate of Caracalla, a Roman triumphal arch (214 AD).
• Roman theatre
• Temple of Minerva (early 3rd century AD), with walls decorated by mosaics.
• Amphitheatre (4th century AD)
• Remains of the basilica of St. Crispinus (4th century AD), one of the biggest in Africa. It has also chapels, baptism urns, catacombs and gardens.
• Byzantine walls (6th century), popularly known as "Solomon's Walls" and flanked by thirteen square towers.
• Archaeological museum.

[edit]Transportation

Tébessa is connected by road and rail with the other parts of both Algeria and Tunisia. It is served by Tébessa Airport for air transport.