Iulia Valentia Banasa

Summary

Iulia Valentia Banasa was a Roman-Berber city in northern Morocco. It was one of the three colonias in Mauretania Tingitana[1] founded by emperor Augustus between 33 and 25 BC for veterans of the battle of Actium, on top of a Mauretanian village. The site was in fact already occupied by the local Amazigh people from the 4th century BC, or perhaps earlier.[2]

Colonia Iulia Valentia Banasa
Roman ruins of Banasa: great occidental thermae
Iulia Valentia Banasa is located in Morocco
Iulia Valentia Banasa
Shown within Morocco
LocationSidi Ali Boujenoun, Kénitra Province, Rabat-Salé-Kénitra, Morocco
Coordinates34°36′06″N 06°06′56″W / 34.60167°N 6.11556°W / 34.60167; -6.11556
TypeSettlement
History
BuilderAugustus
FoundedBetween 33 and 25 BC
AbandonedApproximately 285 AD

Characteristics edit

Beautiful mosaics decorated the buildings and now most are shown at the Rabat archeological museum[3]

Some of the other major Roman companion cities to Iulia Valentia Banasa of this early era are Chellah and Volubilis, the latter of which shares the features of basilica and regular street pattern.[4]

Objects recovered at Banasa may be seen at the Rabat Archaeological Museum.

Gallery edit

See also edit

References edit

[5]

  1. ^ Dictionnaire de l'Antiquité. 2005
  2. ^ "BANASA (Sidi Ali bou Djenoun) Morocco". Retrieved August 20, 2021.
  3. ^ "Banasa". Archived from the original on 2018-03-28. Retrieved 2014-06-12.
  4. ^ Hogan, C. Michael (2007). "Chellah". The Megalithic Portal, ed. A. Burnham.
  5. ^ William Seston. Tabula Banasitana ( Banasa )

Bibliography edit

  • William Seston & Maurice Euzennat, « La citoyenneté romaine au temps de Marc Aurèle et de Commode, d'après la Tabula Banasitana », CRAI, 105-2, 1961, p. 317-324

External links edit

  • Diplomatie France
  • Catalogue des Mosaïques de Banasa
  • Tabula Banasitana
  • Manar al-Athar digital photo archive (photos of different areas and angles of the site)