Learn about the Province of North Africa as it was under the Romans. Explore Caesarea and Timgad (the city created specifically by Trajan, one of the five good emperors).

1. The Province of Africa
By: Mackenzie
http://neatnik2009.wordpress.com/2010/01/25/feast-of-st-marcellinus-of-carthage-april-6/

2. 146 BCE-5th Century CE
• The Romans first acquired the province of Africa after the
Third Punic War when Carthage was razed to the ground.
• With the control of Africa, the Romans gained a lucrative
trading post and fertile lands.
• Roman rule in Africa ended in the 5th century CE when the
Vandals (a barbarian tribe) invaded the province and took
control of it.
http://www.anthrogenica.com/showthread.php?705-Roman-Africa

3. Gordianus the First
• The African province revolted in
237 CE against Maximinus Thrax
(a Thracian peasant who usurped
the throne from the Roman
Emperor Alexander Severus).
• Gordianus and his son (Gordian
the Younger) were crowned as
Emperors by the troops in Africa.
• The senate in Rome gladly
accepted the new Emperors
because they disliked the
barbarian Maximinus and because
the Gordians came from a rich,
illustrious family like themselves.http://viamus.uni-
goettingen.de/pages/imageView/big?Object.Id:record:int=853

4. Caesarea
• This famous city was located on the coast of Northern
Africa.
• It was founded by the Phoenicians in the 5th century
BCE, and it came under Roman rule in 33 BCE.
• It became the capital of the province Mauretania
Caesarensis in 44 CE because it was loyal and
economically important to the Empire (fertile soil).
• It has Roman baths, theaters, aqueducts, and forums.
• The city was named after Augustus Caesar.

5. Caesarea
http://www.ancient.eu.com/Caes
area_(North_Africa)/
http://www2.cnr.edu/home/araia/sacerdotes.html
Today, it is modern
Cherchell.

6. Timgad (modern day Algeria)
• Timgad was a city in Northern Africa that was founded by
Trajan as a community for his retired soldiers in 100 CE.
• The city covers 30 acres, had 15,000 inhabitants, and had two
main streets that divided the grid into quarters (the decumanus
and cardo).
• A triumphal arch marked the entrance to the city.
• There was a library, public baths, temples, and a forum.
http://www.allposters.com/-sp/The-Roman-Ruins-Timgad-Algeria-
North-Africa-Africa-Posters_i8738725_.htm

7. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Timgad_Trajan.jpg

8. Contribution to the Roman World
• The African legion (Legio III Augustus) was strong,
reliable, and had distinguished generals (i.e.
Lusius Quietus).
• At least ten Roman leaders came from the African
province (i.e. Septimius Severus and Pescennius
Niger).
• The province produced grain, a valuable
commodity that was shipped to the port at Ostia.
• Ivory and wild animals (for gladiatorial shows)
were shipped from Northern Africa to Rome.
http://www.unrv.com/economy.php http://www.unrv.com/provinces/africa.php

9. Sources
• Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,
Gibbon
• Art History textbook, Marilyn Stokstad
• http://www.unrv.com/provinces/provincetable.
php
• http://blogs.dalton.org/rome/2008/05/22/map-
of-the-roman-empire/
• http://www.unrv.com/economy.php
• http://www.unrv.com/provinces/africa.php