Rapidum (Djouab)
Rapidum
Roman to Byzantine (122-431 CE; peak 2nd-3rd c CE)·Roman military·🇩🇿 Medea Province, Algeria
About
About Rapidum (Djouab)
Rapidum (Sour Djouab) 40 km south of Medea on the High Plates at 950 m was a Trajan-Hadrian castellum guarding the Auzia-Lemellef road against Mauri tribes: 135x127 m walled camp with gates inscribed to Aurelian, principia with aedes, bathhouse with hypocaust, second annex fort to southeast and extramural canabae vicus with temples. Fort destroyed 238 in Gordian revolt, rebuilt Severan, enlarged under Aurelian as burgus. Massive spolia inscription archive documents cohors IIII Sygambrorum.
Why it mattersType-site of internally policed castellum road system (limes Mauretaniae).
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Vicus size vs fort garrison ratio
Theories
- 01Rapidum as customs post collecting portorium
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Castellum under Trajan/Hadrian c.122 CE; rebuilds 167, 201, 272 CE
- Period
- Roman to Byzantine (122-431 CE; peak 2nd-3rd c CE)
- Culture
- Roman military
- Builders
- Cohors II Sardorum, IIII Sygambrorum
- Purpose
- Road-fort controlling Auzia-Lemellef road against Mauri tribes
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
Castellum under Trajan/Hadrian c.122 CE; rebuilds 167, 201, 272 CE
Initial construction
c. 1628 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
36.1333° N · 3.4333° E · 950 m · 2 mapped features
Forum of Rapidum (Djouab)
forumForum
36.1343° N · 3.4343° ETemple of Rapidum (Djouab)
templeTemple
36.1323° N · 3.4323° E