Byzacena (or Byzacium) (, ''Byzakion'') was a Late

Roman province The Roman provinces (, pl. ) 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 ruled by a Roman appointed as Roman g ...

in the central part of

Roman North Africa Africa was a Roman province on the northern coast of the continent of Africa. It was established in 146 BC, following the Roman Republic's conquest of Carthage in the Third Punic War. It roughly comprised the territory of present-day Tunisi ...

, which is now roughly

Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...

, split off from

Africa Proconsularis Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

History

At the end of the 3rd century AD, the Roman emperor

Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...

divided the great Roman province of

into three smaller provinces: Zeugitana in the north, still governed by a

proconsul A proconsul was an official of ancient Rome who acted on behalf of a Roman consul, consul. A proconsul was typically a former consul. The term is also used in recent history for officials with delegated authority. In the Roman Republic, military ...

and referred to as Proconsularis; Byzacena to its adjacent south, and

Tripolitania Tripolitania (), historically known as the Tripoli region, is a historic region and former province of Libya. The region had been settled since antiquity, first coming to prominence as part of the Carthaginian empire. Following the defeat ...

to its adjacent south, roughly corresponding to southeast

and northwest

Libya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...

. Byzacena corresponded roughly to eastern Tunisia or the modern Tunisian region of

Sahel The Sahel region (; ), or Sahelian acacia savanna, is a Biogeography, biogeographical region in Africa. It is the Ecotone, transition zone between the more humid Sudanian savannas to its south and the drier Sahara to the north. The Sahel has a ...

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, Sūsah , or Soussa (, ), 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 of Hammamet, which ...

) 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 an ancient city in Northern Africa, 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 classic ...

, the most important city in Roman (North) Africa west of

Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...

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 epi ...

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 nam ...

'' 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 archbi ...

s: * Abaradira * Abari * Abidda (

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) * Acholla (Henchir-El-Alia) * Aeliae (Henchir-Mraba? Henchir-Merelma) *

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...

(Mahdia) * Afufenia * Aggar *

Aggersel Aggersel was an ancient city in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis. Aggersel was a former Roman Catholic Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church and is now a titular see A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former ...

(Abd-Er-Rahman-El-Garis? Tacrouna?) * Ammaedara (Haïdra) * Amudarsa (in the plain of Saïda) * Ancusa *

Aquae Albae in Byzacena Aquae Albae in Byzacena was an Ancient city and bishopric in Roman Africa and remains a Latin Catholic titular see. Its present location is Ain-Beida, in modern Tunisia (which has namesakes, notably in Algeria and Morocco). History Aquae Albae ...

(in Gabès Governorate) *

Aquae in Byzacena The Diocese of Aquensis in Byzacena is a home suppressed and titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. The diocese was centered on Aquensis a civitas of the Roman province of Byzacena, which is tentatively identified with El Hamma in modern Tun ...

(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) * Capsa (

Gafsa Gafsa (; ; ') is the capital of Gafsa Governorate in Tunisia. With a population of 120,739, Gafsa is the ninth-largest Tunisian city and is 335 km from the country's capital, Tunis. Overview Gafsa is the capital of Gafsa Governorate, in ...

) * Carcabia *

Cariana The Diocese of Cariana (in Latin Rite ) is a home suppressed and titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. Cariana, in modern Tunisia, is the seat of the ancient episcopal see, which was originally a civitas of the Roman province of Byzacena Byzac ...

* Cebarades *

Cenculiana Cenculiana was a Roman era town in Roman North Africa. Cenculiana, in today's Tunisia, is also the seat of an ancient episcopal see of the Roman province of Byzacena. The Bishop was a suffran of Carthage.Joseph Bingham, ''Origines Ecclesiasticae ...

* Cercina (

Kerkennah Islands Kerkennah Islands ( '; Ancient Greek: ''Κέρκιννα Cercinna''; Spanish:''Querquenes'') are a group of islands lying off the east coast of Tunisia in the Gulf of Gabès and to the east of Sfax, at . The Islands are low-lying, being no more ...

) * Cibaliana * Cillium alias Colonia Cillilana (Kasserine) * Crepedula * Cufruta * Chusira (Kessera) * Decoriana * Dices (Henchir-Sidi-Salah, Sadic?) * Dionysiana * Drua ( Henchir-Bou-Driès) *

Dura (Titular See) Dura may also refer to: Đura such as, for example, Đura Bajalović Geography * Dura language, a critically endangered language of Nepal * Dura, Africa, an ancient city and former bishopric, now a Catholic titular see * Dura-Europos, an ancient c ...

* Edistiana * Egnatia *

Febiana 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 province of Byzacena, in the p ...

* Feradi Maius (Henchir-El-Ferada?) * Feradi Minus * Filaca * Fissiana (in the plain of Foussana?) * Foratiana * Forontoniana ( Henchir-Bir-El-Menadka?) * Gaguari * Garriana (Henchir-El-Garra) * Gemellae in Byzacena (Sidi-Aïch) * Germaniciana (ruins of Ksour-El-Maïeta? Melloul? ruins of Hadjeh-El-Aïoun?) * Gratiana * Gubaliana (ruins of Djebeliana? ruins of Henchir-Goubel?) * Gummi in Byzacena (Henchir-Gelama?, Henchir-El-Senem) * Gurza (Kalâa Kebira) *

(Sousse), the Metropolitan Archbishopric * Hermiana * Hierpiniana * Hirina * Horrea Coelia (Hergla) * Iubaltiana (at

Kairouan Kairouan (, ), also spelled El Qayrawān or Kairwan ( , ), is the capital of the Kairouan Governorate in Tunisia and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city was founded by the Umayyads around 670, in the period of Caliph Mu'awiya (reigned 661� ...

) * Iunca in Byzacena (Ounga) * Leptiminus *

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 a ...

(Henchir-Boudja) * Macon * Macriana Maior * Macriana Minor * Mactaris * Madarsuma (Henchir-Bou-Doukhane?) * Maraguia (ruins of Ksar-Margui?) * Marazanae (Henchir-Guennara) * Marazanae Regiae * Masclianae (ruins of Hadjeb-El-Aioun?) * Materiana * Maximiana in Byzacena (near

) * Mediana (Bishopric) * Menefessi (Henchir-Djemmiah) * Mibiarca * Midica (near

Sfax Sfax ( ; , ) is a major port city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD849 on the ruins of Taparura, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate (about 955,421 inhabitants in 2014), and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has a ...

) * Mididi (Henchir-Medded, Midid) * Mimiana * Mozotcori * Munatiana * Mutia (Henchir-El-Gheria, Henchir-Furna) * Muzuca in Byzacena (Henchir-Besra) *

Nara The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

(Bir El Hafey) * Nationa * Nepte (Nafta) * Octaba * Octabia * Pederodiana (Oum-Federa, Fodra?) * Precausa * Praesidium ( Somâa) * Putia in Byzacena (Bir-Abdallah?) * Quaestoriana * Rufiniana * Ruspae * Rusticiana * Sassura (Henchir Es-Zaouadi) * Scebatiana * Segermes * Selendeta * Septimunicia (ruins of Oglet-El-Metnem? Henchir-El-Bliaa?) * Severiana * Sufes * Sufetula * Suliana * Sullectum (Salacia) * Tabalta (Henchir-Gourghebi?) * Tagarbala ( Bordj-Tamra, Tamera) * Tagaria * Tagase * Talaptula * Tamalluma (Oasis of Telmin) * Tamata * Tamazeni * Tambeae (in the region of Aïn-Beida and Henchir-Baboucha) * Tanudaia * Taparura * Taraqua (Ksour-El-Khaoua?) * Tarasa in Byzacena (near Djebel-Trozza?) * Temuniana ( Henchir-Temounia?) *

Tetci The diocese of Tetci ({{langx, 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 th ...

* Thagamuta (in the plain of Guemouda?) * Thala * Thapsus * Thasbalta (in the valley of Segui?) *

Thelepte Thelepte () 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 Kasserine. H ...

* Thenae ( Thyna) * Theuzi * Thiges ( Bordj-Gourbata) * Thucca Terenbenthina (Henchir Dougga) * Thysdrus * Tigias (Henchir-Taus, in the oasis of Kriz) * Tiguala * Trofimiana * Tubulbaca (Teboulba?) * Turrisblanda * Turres in Byzacena (ruins of Tamarza? ruins of Msilica?) * Turris Tamalleni (ruins of Oum-Es-Samâa) * Tusuros * Unizibira (Henchir-Zembra?) * Usula * Uzita * Valentiniana * Vartana ( Srâa-Ouartane) * Vassinassa * Vegesela in Byzacena (Henchir-Recba) * Vibiana * Vicus Aterii (Bir el Ater) *

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, ph ...

Vicus Augusti Sidi El Hani (or Sidi Al-Hani) (سيدي الهاني) is a town and commune in the Sousse Governorate, Tunisia located at 35.67 n, 10.30 e. As of 2004 it had a population of 3,058. It gives its name to the largest lake of the governorate, a na ...

(ruins of Sidi El Hani, Henchir-Sabra?) * Vita (ruins of Beni-Derraj?) * Zella (see) (Zaouila, suburb of

Mahdia Mahdia ( ') is a Tunisian coastal city with 76,513 inhabitants, south of Monastir, Tunisia, Monastir and southeast of Sousse. Mahdia is a provincial centre north of Sfax. It is important for the associated fish-processing industry, as well as w ...

? 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 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