Tamuda (Tetouan)
Tamuda
Mauretanian to Late Roman (2nd c BCE–5th c CE; peak 1st–3rd c CE)·Mauri / Phoenician / Roman·🇲🇦 Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima, Morocco
About
About Tamuda (Tetouan)
Moorish–Roman town Tamuda on the Oued Martil 8 km southeast of Tétouan, founded 2nd c BCE by Mauri king Bocchus? with Punic rectangular bastion fort, overlaid Augustan camp of Legio X Gemina then Flavian city with forum, baths and garum factories. Destroyed AD 40 in revolt of Aedemon, rebuilt. Tangier–Tamuda road. Punic graffiti and Mauretanian pottery of local Baquates.
Why it mattersOnly Moorish Punic fort with rectangular towers in Morocco; garum sequence links to Gades trade.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Which Moorish king founded Tamuda
- 02AD 40 destruction layer vs Caligulan war
Theories
- 01Tamuda as regia of western Mauri before Volubilis ascendancy (Euzennat)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Moorish oppidum 2nd c BCE; Roman camp 25 BCE; city Augustan–Claudian; destruction 40 CE; Flavian rebuild
- Period
- Mauretanian to Late Roman (2nd c BCE–5th c CE; peak 1st–3rd c CE)
- Culture
- Mauri / Phoenician / Roman
- Builders
- Mauretanian kings / Roman legion
- Purpose
- River port and garum centre at Martil mouth; frontier station against Rif Baquates
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
Moorish oppidum 2nd c BCE; Roman camp 25 BCE; city Augustan–Claudian; destruction 40 CE; Flavian rebuild
Initial construction
c. 1301 CE
Abandonment
On the ground
Structures & features
35.5667° N · 5.3500° W · 25 m · 3 mapped features
Punic Bastion Fort
fortressRectangular bastion fort 40×30 m with towers
35.5670° N · 5.3500° WRoman Camp (Castra)
fortressAugustan legionary camp ditch overlain by city
35.5660° N · 5.3510° WGarum Factory
industrialOpus signinum fish-salting tanks
35.5665° N · 5.3490° W
Gallery