Banasa

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The Colonia Iulia Valentia Banasa was one of the three Roman colonies in the North African province of Mauretania Tingitana , which the Emperor Augustus between 33 and 25 BC. BC for the settlement of veterans of the Battle of Actium .

Remains of Iulia Valentia Banasa
Iulia Valentia Banasa (at the Atlantic)

location

The colony was on the south bank of the Sebou River . The small town of Sidi Ali Boujenoun is located near the ruins today. The Roman city of Volubilis was about 100 km to the south-east.

history

Although Mauritania was a client kingdom and not a Roman province, Augustus established at least twelve Roman colonies there. Comparable Roman cities that were founded during this period were Chellah ( Sala Colonia ), Volubilis and probably Babba Iulia Campestris . The nickname Valentia means something like 'strong', 'strong' or 'of value' in Latin; it is also found in other Roman colonies such as Valence and Valencia . The nickname Iulia refers to the patrician family of Julier , to which Caesar also belonged.

With the beginning of the reign of Marcus Aurelius (ruled 161-180) Banasa received the name Colonia Aurelia . From 285, the province of Mauretania Tingitana was reduced in size and only included areas north of Lixus . As a result, the Banasa colony was also given up.

investment

Among the ruins of Banasa you will find the typical elements of a Roman city: a forum with a basilica , a capitolium , baths and streets that end at small city gates and are laid out in a regular pattern. A triumphal arch in honor of the emperor is missing. Many of the buildings date from the early third century AD.

Some of the findings from Banasa are in the Archaeological Museum of Rabat to visit.

literature

Web links

Commons : Banasa (Morocco)  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Remarks

  1. ↑ Pliny the Elder , Naturalis historia 5,1,5; Claudius Ptolemy , Geographika 4,1,7.

Coordinates: 34 ° 36 ′ 6 ″  N , 6 ° 6 ′ 56 ″  W.