Byzacena (or Byzacium) ( grc, Βυζάκιον, ''Byzakion'') was a Late Roman province in the central part of Roman North Africa, which is now roughly Tunisia, split off from Africa Proconsularis.

History

At the end of the 3rd century AD, the Roman emperor Diocletian divided the great Roman province of Africa Proconsularis 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 to its adjacent south, roughly corresponding to southeast Tunisia and northwest Libya. Byzacena corresponded roughly to eastern Tunisia or the modern Tunisian region of Sahel, Tunisia, Sahel. Hadrumetum (modern Sousse) became the capital of the newly made province, whose governor had the rank of ''consularis''. At this period the Metropolitan Archbishopric of Byzacena was, after the great metropolis Carthage, the most important city in Roman (North) Africa west of Egypt and its Patriarch of Alexandria.

Episcopal sees

Ancient episcopal sees of Byzacena listed in the ''Annuario Pontificio'' as titular sees: * Abaradira * Abari (Titular See), Abari * Abidda (ruins of Ksour-Abbeda) * Acholla (Henchir-El-Alia) * Aeliae (Henchir-Mraba? Henchir-Merelma) * Mahdia, Africa (Mahdia) * Afufenia * Aggar (city), Aggar * Aggersel (Abd-Er-Rahman-El-Garis? Tacrouna?) * Ammaedara (Haïdra) * Amudarsa (in the plain of Saïda) * Ancusa * Aquae Albae in Byzacena (in Gabès Governorate) * Aquae in Byzacena (in Gabès Governorate) * Aquae Regiae (Henchir-Baboucha?) * Aurusuliana (in the territory of Henchir-Guennara) * Ausafa * Autenti * Auzegera * Bahanna (Henchir-Nebahna, ruins at Dhorbania?)located at Latitude: 36.19392 - Longitude: 10.02064. * Bararus (Henchir-Ronga, Rougga) * Bassiana * Bavagaliana * Bennefa (Oglet-Khefifa) * Bladia (Henchir-Baldia?) * Buleliana * Cabarasussi (Drâa-Bellouan) * Carcabia * Cariana * Cebarades * Cenculiana * Cercina (Kerkennah Islands) * Cibaliana * Colonia Cillilana, Cillium alias Colonia Cillilana (Kasserine) * Crepedula * Cufruta * Chusira (Kessera) * Decoriana * Diocese of Dices, Dices (Henchir-Sidi-Salah, Sadic?) * Dionysiana * Aïn Bou Driès#history, Drua (Aïn Bou Driès, Henchir-Bou-Driès) * Dura (Titular See) * Edistiana * Egnatia, Byzacena, Egnatia * Febiana * Feradi Maius (Henchir-El-Ferada?) * Feradi Minus * Filaca * Fissiana (in the plain of Foussana?) * Foratiana * Forontoniana (Henchir-Bir-El-Menadla, Henchir-Bir-El-Menadka?) * Gaguari * Garriana (Henchir-El-Garra) * Sidi Aïch (Tunisia), Gemellae in Byzacena (Sidi-Aïch) * Germaniciana (ruins of Ksour-El-Maïeta? Melloul? ruins of Hadjeh-El-Aïoun?) * Gratiana, Africa, Gratiana * Gubaliana (ruins of Djebeliana? ruins of Henchir-Goubel?) * Gummi in Byzacena (Henchir-Gelama?, Henchir-El-Senem) * Gurza (Kalâa Kebira) * Hadrumetum (Sousse), the Metropolitan Archbishopric * Hermiana * Hierpiniana * Hirina * Horrea Coelia (Hergla) * Iubaltiana (at Kairouan) * Iunca in Byzacena (Ounga) * Leptiminus * Limisa (Henchir-Boudja) * Macon * Macriana Maior * Macriana Minor * Mactaris * Madarsuma (Henchir-Bou-Doukhane?) * Maraguia (ruins of Ksar-Margui?) * Marazanae (Henchir-Guennara) * Mezzouna, Marazanae Regiae * Masclianae (ruins of Hajeb El Ayoun, Hadjeb-El-Aioun?) * Materiana * Maximiana in Byzacena (near Sousse) * Mediana (Bishopric) * Menefessi (Henchir-Djemmiah) * Mibiarca * Midica (near Sfax) * Mididi (Henchir-Medded, Midid) * Mimiana * Mozotcori * Munatiana * Mutia, Africa, Mutia (Henchir-El-Gheria, Henchir-Furna) * Muzuca in Byzacena (Henchir-Besra) * Nara (see), Nara (Bir El Hafey) * Nationa * Nafta, Tunisia, Nepte (Nafta) * Octaba * Octabia * Pederodiana (Oum-Federa, Fodra?) * Precausa * Praesidium (Bishopric), Praesidium (Somâa) * Putia in Byzacena (Bir-Abdallah?) * Quaestoriana * Rufiniana * Ruspae * Titular see of Rusticiana, Rusticiana * Sassura (Henchir Es-Zaouadi) * Scebatiana * Segermes * Selendeta * Septimunicia (ruins of Oglet-El-Metnem? Henchir-El-Bliaa?) * Severiana * Sufes * Sufetula (see), Sufetula * Suliana * Sullectum (Salacia) * Tabalta (Henchir-Gourghebi?) * Tagarbala (Bordj-Tamra, Tamera) * Tagaria * Tagase * Talaptula * Tamalluma (Oasis of Tamalluma, Telmin) * Tamata (Bishopric), Tamata * Tamazeni * Tambeae (in the region of Aïn-Beida, Tunisia, Aïn-Beida and Henchir-Baboucha) * Tanudaia * Taparura * Taraqua (Ksour-El-Khaoua?) * Tarasa in Byzacena (near Djebel-Trozza?) * Temuniana (Henchir-Temounia?) * Tetci * Thagamuta (in the plain of Guemouda?) * Thala, Tunisia, Thala * Thapsus * Thasbalta (in the valley of Segui?) * Thélepte, Thelepte * Thenae (Thyna) * Theuzi * Thiges (Bordj-Gourbata) * Thucca Terenbenthina (Henchir Dougga) * Thysdrus * Tigias (Henchir-Taus, in the oasis of Kriz) * Tiguala * Trofimiana * Teboulba, Tubulbaca (Teboulba?) * Turrisblanda * Ad Turres (Byzacena)#Bishopric, Turres in Byzacena (ruins of Tamarza? ruins of Msilica?) * Turris Tamalleni (ruins of Oum-Es-Samâa) * Tusuros * Unizibira (Henchir-Zembra?) * Usula * Uzita (Tunisia), Uzita * Valentiniana * Vartana (Srâa-Ouartane) * Vassinassa * Vegesela in Byzacena (Henchir-Recba) * Diocese of Vibiana, Vibiana * Vicus Aterii (Bir el Ater) * Diocese of Victoriana, Victoriana * Vicus Augusti (ruins of Sidi El Hani, Henchir-Sabra?) * Diocese of Vita, Vita (ruins of Beni-Derraj?) * Zella (see) (Zaouila, suburb of Mahdia? ruins of Zellez?)

References

Sources and external links

GCatholic - Tunisia

of the Roman state according to the Compilation notitia dignitatum
Place-names
in the Compilation notitia dignitatum {{Late Roman Provinces, state=collapsed Byzacena, Late Roman provinces Provinces of the Byzantine Empire Roman provinces in Africa Africa (Roman province) States and territories established in the 3rd century States and territories disestablished in the 7th century 290s establishments 690s disestablishments 290s establishments in the Roman Empire 7th-century disestablishments in the Exarchate of Africa Byzantine North Africa

History

Episcopal sees

See also

References

Sources and external links