In Ptolemy's "Geography" (vol. IV, iii, 7), the city is mentioned under the name of Mileum. During the Roman era, it was called Colonia Sarnensis Milevitana, after the River Sarnus in Campania (southern Italy), whence the colonists had emigrated. This name is often found in the inscriptions of the city.
Together with Cirta, Collo and Rusicade, Milevum formed the Confederation known as the 'Four Colonies', the territory of which was very extensive. This confederation area was fully romanised in the fourth century (when was renamed as "Numidia Cirtense"), with nearly all the population speaking local Latin, according to historian Theodor Mommsen.[1]
In the fourth century's second half Milevum was fully Christian and had a population of nearly 15000 inhabitants.
In the 6th century, the ByzantineEmperor Justinian had Milevum enclosed by a fortified wall, which still stands and forms a rampart for the Muslim city of Mila.[2] It has yielded quite a number of Latin inscriptions from this city and a colossal statue of Saturn.
Christianity appeared in the second century and dominated Miletum in the fourth century.[3]
After 682 AD the city may have been conquered by the Umayyad Arabs commanded by Abu al-Muhajir Dinar and since then Milevum disappeared from History.[5]
Bishopricedit
The city was the center of a small bishopric. Among the bishops of this episcopal see were:
A. Benabbès: "Les premiers raids arabes en Numidie byzantine: questions toponymiques." In Identités et Cultures dans l'Algérie Antique, University of Rouen, 2005 (ISBN 2-87775-391-3)
Heurgon J. Les origines campaniennes de la Confédération cirtéenne, Libyca archéol. Epigr.,t.V,1957, pp. 7–24.
Laffi, Umberto. Colonie e municipi nello Stato romano Ed. di Storia e Letteratura. Roma, 2007 ISBN 8884983509
Mommsen, Theodore. The Provinces of the Roman Empire Section: Roman Africa. (Leipzig 1865; London 1866; London: Macmillan 1909; reprint New York 1996) Barnes & Noble. New York, 1996
Reynell Morell, John. Algeria: The Topography and History, Political, Social, and Natural, of French Africa. Publisher N. Cooke. London, 1854 ( Chullu)
P. Trousset (2002). Les limites sud de la réoccupation Byzantine.Antiquité Tardive v. 10, pp. 143–150.
Notesedit
^Theodor Mommsen. The Provinces of the Roman Empire. Section: Africa
^J. H. N., I.e. J. H. Newman., The Ecclesiastical History, from A.D. 400, to A.D. 429, Translated, with Notes (1843).
^Mila is the name given by the 9th-century historian Khalifa ibn Khayyat, but this might perhaps refer to the Numidian fortress of Gemellae near the modern-day village of Mlii.
^David M. Cheney. Milevum at catholic-hierarchy.org.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Herbermann, Charles, ed. (1913). "Milevum". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
36°27′01″N6°15′52″E / 36.45028°N 6.26444°E / 36.45028; 6.26444