Roman roads in Morocco
Encyclopedia
Roman roads in Morocco were the western roads of Roman Africa.
was reorganized as a province of Rome Mauretania Tingitana
. During the reign of emperor Claudius
infrastructure was improved.
A road leading in the southern direction from Tingis split in two at Ad Mercuri.
One of the two followed the Atlantic coast through Iulia Constantia Zilil
(Asilah
), Lixus
(Larache
) and Sala Colonia (near Rabat
).
The other, more to the east, ended in Tocolosida, near Volubilis
and modern Fez
.
There it is the possibility that a Roman road was built toward south, from Sala Colonia to the area of modern Casablanca
. Indeed in the area of Casablanca there was a small port used by the Phoenicians and later the Romans since 15 BC. This port was used for Roman expeditions toward the Canary islands
.
There was another important road that connected Tingis with Numidia
(modern western Algeria
).It ran from Tamouda to Numerus Syrorum.
For example, wide roads paved with large hewn stones are found in the cities of Volubilis
and Sala Colonia
.
Characteristics
In 42 AD the western part of the kingdom of MauretaniaMauretania
Mauretania is a part of the historical Ancient Libyan land in North Africa. It corresponds to present day Morocco and a part of western Algeria...
was reorganized as a province of Rome Mauretania Tingitana
Mauretania Tingitana
Mauretania Tingitana was a Roman province located in northwestern Africa, coinciding roughly with the northern part of present-day Morocco. The province extended from the northern peninsula, opposite Gibraltar, to Chellah and Volubilis to the south, and as far east as the Oued Laou river. Its...
. During the reign of emperor Claudius
Claudius
Claudius , was Roman Emperor from 41 to 54. A member of the Julio-Claudian dynasty, he was the son of Drusus and Antonia Minor. He was born at Lugdunum in Gaul and was the first Roman Emperor to be born outside Italy...
infrastructure was improved.
A road leading in the southern direction from Tingis split in two at Ad Mercuri.
One of the two followed the Atlantic coast through Iulia Constantia Zilil
Iulia Constantia Zilil
Iulia Constantia Zilil was one of the three colonias in Mauretania Tingitana founded by emperor Augustus between 33 and 25 BC for veterans of the battle of Actium. The city had then already been a Phoenician and Mauretanian city since the 4th century BC...
(Asilah
Asilah
Asilah or Arzila is a fortified town on the northwest tip of the Atlantic coast of Morocco, about 31 km from Tangier. Its ramparts and gateworks remain fully intact...
), Lixus
Lixus (ancient city)
Lixus is the site of an ancient city located in Morocco just north of the modern seaport of Larache on the bank of the Loukkos River. The location was one of the main cities of the Roman province Mauretania Tingitana.-Geography:...
(Larache
Larache
Larache is an important harbour town in the region Tanger-Tétouan in northern Morocco. It was founded in the 7th century when a group of Muslim soldiers from Arabia extended their camp at Lixus onto the south bank of the Loukkos River.In 1471, the Portuguese settlers from Asilah and Tangier drove...
) and Sala Colonia (near Rabat
Rabat
Rabat , is the capital and third largest city of the Kingdom of Morocco with a population of approximately 650,000...
).
The other, more to the east, ended in Tocolosida, near Volubilis
Volubilis
Volubilis is an archaeological site in Morocco situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat along the N13 road. The nearest town is Moulay Idriss. Volubilis features the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of northern Africa...
and modern Fez
Fes
Fes or Fez is the second largest city of Morocco, after Casablanca, with a population of approximately 1 million . It is the capital of the Fès-Boulemane region....
.
There it is the possibility that a Roman road was built toward south, from Sala Colonia to the area of modern Casablanca
Casablanca
Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Grand Casablanca region.Casablanca is Morocco's largest city as well as its chief port. It is also the biggest city in the Maghreb. The 2004 census recorded a population of 2,949,805 in the prefecture...
. Indeed in the area of Casablanca there was a small port used by the Phoenicians and later the Romans since 15 BC. This port was used for Roman expeditions toward the Canary islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
There was another important road that connected Tingis with Numidia
Numidia
Numidia was an ancient Berber kingdom in part of present-day Eastern Algeria and Western Tunisia in North Africa. It is known today as the Chawi-land, the land of the Chawi people , the direct descendants of the historical Numidians or the Massyles The kingdom began as a sovereign state and later...
(modern western Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
).It ran from Tamouda to Numerus Syrorum.
Settlement roads
In ancient Morocco significant roads existed within some of the Roman settlements themselves .For example, wide roads paved with large hewn stones are found in the cities of Volubilis
Volubilis
Volubilis is an archaeological site in Morocco situated near Meknes between Fez and Rabat along the N13 road. The nearest town is Moulay Idriss. Volubilis features the best preserved Roman ruins in this part of northern Africa...
and Sala Colonia
Chellah
Chellah, or Sala Colonia is a necropolis and complex of ancient Roman Mauretania Tingitana and medieval ruins at Rabat, Morocco. It is the most ancient human settlement on the mouth of the Bou Regreg River.-History:...
.
Sources
- M. Euzennat. 1962. "Les voies romaines du Maroc dans l' Itineraire d' Antonin," Hommages à Albert Grenier (Brussels) vol. II, 595-610.
External links
- Diplomatie France (updated map) Les voies antiques du Maroc d’après l’Itinéraire Antonin (retrieved February 3, 2009) http://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/actions-france_830/archeologie_1058/les-carnets-archeologie_5064/europe-maghreb_5066/maroc-dchar-jdid_5615/carte-situation_15927.html
- Mauretania Tingitana (in Spanish)
See also
- Antonine itineraryAntonine ItineraryThe Antonine Itinerary is a register of the stations and distances along the various roads of the Roman empire, containing directions how to get from one Roman settlement to another...
- Roman roads in AfricaRoman roads in AfricaAlmost all Roman roads in Africa were built in the first two centuries AD. In 14 AD Legio III Augusta completed a road from Tacape to Ammaedara: the first Roman road in Africa. In 42 AD the kingdom of Mauretania was annexed by Rome. Emperor Claudius then restored and widened a Carthaginian trail...
- Roman expeditions to Sub-Saharan Africa