Timgad

Timgad tĭmˈgăd [key], ancient Thamugadi, ruined city, Algeria, S of Constantine. It is sometimes called the Pompeii of North Africa because of the extensive remains of the Roman city founded here by Trajan in a.d. 100. This city was destroyed by Berbers in the 7th cent. and was unknown until excavations were begun in 1881. Its Roman ruins, which include a triumphal arch, public baths, a theater, a library, and a forum, are the best preserved and most extensive in Africa.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

See more Encyclopedia articles on: Ancient History, Africa