Korba, Tunisia
Encyclopedia
Korba, ancient Curubis, is a town in Tunisia
on the eastern shore of the Cap Bon
. It was the place of exile of the Carthaginian
bishop Cyprian
in the year leading up to his martyrdom. Modern Korba is in the Nabeul Governorate
and had a population of 34,807 in 2004.
) and Neapolis (modern Nabeul
).
The earliest historical record is an inscription from the time of the Roman civil war
, which records that the Pompeian generals P. Attius Varus
and C. Considius Longus
fortified the town in 46 BC. In the years after the civil war the town was made a Roman colony, colonia Iulia Curubis (Pliny the Elder refers to it as libera, "free"), perhaps as part of Julius Caesar's attempt to rid his army of older soldiers and at the same time hold Africa against Pompeian forces. In the year AD 257, the Carthaginian bishop Cyprian was exiled there; his biographer Pontius
, who accompanied him into exile, praises the place (12): "provisum esse divinitus … apricum et conpetentem locum, hospitium pro voluntate secretum et quidquid apponi eis ante promissum est, qui regnum et iustitiam dei quaerunt." ("by god's favour a sunny and appropriate place was provided, a refuge secluded as he wished, and whatever was previously promised to be set before those who seek the kingdom and justice of god").
By the year 411, Curubis, like many African towns, had its own bishop (mentioned in the proceedings of the Council of Carthage of that year). A bishop of Curubis is mentioned again in the Notitia provinciarum et civitatium Africae in the year 484, among the bishops exiled to Corsica
for refusing to swear allegiance to the Vandal king Hilderic
, and again in the proceedings of the Council of Carthage of the year 525.
The town had its own theatre. An inscription of the late 2nd century honours the citizen who had created it. Remains of an aqueduct survived to modern times; and the contribution to a mosaic in Ostia
by shipowners of Curubis suggest that the town also possessed a port, which has not survived.
A recent account of the life in Korba may be found in Mounira Khemir's narrative "Un coin du carré bleu"<10 Mounira Khemir, "Un coin du carré bleu" in Enfances tunisiennes, Ed.Elyzad,Tunis,2010ref>
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
on the eastern shore of the Cap Bon
Cap Bon
Cap Bon , also Watan el-kibli, is a peninsula in far northeastern Tunisia. It is located at around . It is surrounded by the Gulf of Tunis in the north. Towns located on the peninsula include Nabeul, Kelibia and Menzel Temime. The ruins of the Punic town Kerkouane are located here....
. It was the place of exile of the Carthaginian
Carthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
bishop Cyprian
Cyprian
Cyprian was bishop of Carthage and an important Early Christian writer, many of whose Latin works are extant. He was born around the beginning of the 3rd century in North Africa, perhaps at Carthage, where he received a classical education...
in the year leading up to his martyrdom. Modern Korba is in the Nabeul Governorate
Nabeul Governorate
Nabeul Governorate is one of the 24 governorates of Tunisia. It is situated in north-eastern Tunisia. It covers an area of 2,788 km² and has a population of 694,000 . The capital is Nabeul.-Municipalities:...
and had a population of 34,807 in 2004.
History
Ancient geographers and itineraries mention the town Curubis on the African coast between Clupea (modern KelibiaKelibia
Kelibia is a coastal town on the Cap Bon peninsula, Nabeul province in the far northeastern part of Tunisia. Its sand beaches are considered one the finest of the Mediterranean sea....
) and Neapolis (modern Nabeul
Nabeul
Nabeul is a coastal town in northeastern Tunisia, on the south coast near to the Cap Bon peninsula. It is located at around and is the capital of the Nabeul Governorate...
).
The earliest historical record is an inscription from the time of the Roman civil war
Caesar's civil war
The Great Roman Civil War , also known as Caesar's Civil War, was one of the last politico-military conflicts in the Roman Republic before the establishment of the Roman Empire...
, which records that the Pompeian generals P. Attius Varus
Publius Attius Varus
Publius Attius Varus was the Roman governor of Africa during the civil war between Julius Caesar and Pompeius Magnus . He declared war against Caesar, and initially fought and defeated Gaius Scribonius Curio, who was sent against him in 49 BC.-Political career:Varus held the office of praetor no...
and C. Considius Longus
Gaius Considius Longus
Gaius Considius Longus was a Roman politician and general in the last years of the Roman republic. As a commander in Africa, he fought on the Pompeian side in the Roman civil war and was killed by his own retinue in 46 BC as he attempted to escape after Julius Caesar's victory at...
fortified the town in 46 BC. In the years after the civil war the town was made a Roman colony, colonia Iulia Curubis (Pliny the Elder refers to it as libera, "free"), perhaps as part of Julius Caesar's attempt to rid his army of older soldiers and at the same time hold Africa against Pompeian forces. In the year AD 257, the Carthaginian bishop Cyprian was exiled there; his biographer Pontius
Pontius of Carthage
Pontius, or Pontius the Deacon, was a Christian saint and Latin author from Carthage. He served as a deacon under Cyprian of Carthage and wrote the Vita Cypriani shortly after his death.-Life:...
, who accompanied him into exile, praises the place (12): "provisum esse divinitus … apricum et conpetentem locum, hospitium pro voluntate secretum et quidquid apponi eis ante promissum est, qui regnum et iustitiam dei quaerunt." ("by god's favour a sunny and appropriate place was provided, a refuge secluded as he wished, and whatever was previously promised to be set before those who seek the kingdom and justice of god").
By the year 411, Curubis, like many African towns, had its own bishop (mentioned in the proceedings of the Council of Carthage of that year). A bishop of Curubis is mentioned again in the Notitia provinciarum et civitatium Africae in the year 484, among the bishops exiled to Corsica
Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located west of Italy, southeast of the French mainland, and north of the island of Sardinia....
for refusing to swear allegiance to the Vandal king Hilderic
Hilderic
Hilderic was the penultimate king of the Vandals and Alans in North Africa in Late Antiquity . Although dead by the time the Vandal kingdom was overthrown in 534, he nevertheless played a key role in that event....
, and again in the proceedings of the Council of Carthage of the year 525.
The town had its own theatre. An inscription of the late 2nd century honours the citizen who had created it. Remains of an aqueduct survived to modern times; and the contribution to a mosaic in Ostia
Ostia Antica
Ostia Antica is a large archeological site, close to the modern suburb of Ostia , that was the location of the harbour city of ancient Rome, which is approximately 30 km to the northeast. "Ostia" in Latin means "mouth". At the mouth of the River Tiber, Ostia was Rome's seaport, but, due to...
by shipowners of Curubis suggest that the town also possessed a port, which has not survived.
A recent account of the life in Korba may be found in Mounira Khemir's narrative "Un coin du carré bleu"<10 Mounira Khemir, "Un coin du carré bleu" in Enfances tunisiennes, Ed.Elyzad,Tunis,2010ref>
Literature
- Broughton, T.R.S. (1929) The Romanization of Africa Proconsularis (Baltimore and Oxford: The John Hopkins Press and OUP)
- Dessau, H. (1901) "Curubis" R.E. IV 1893
- Mommsen, T., (1895) "Inschriften von Curubis und Lilybaeon", Hermes 30, 456-62 (online at Gallica)
- Trousset, P. (1994) "Curubis (Korba)" Encyclopédie Berbère, 2157 (Aix-en-Provence: Édisud) ISBN 2-85744-201-7