🇬🇹 Guatemala · Fortress
Mixco Viejo
Classic · Maya/Andean
Mixco Viejo — fortified hilltop twin capital.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Vescera (Biskra)
Roman to Byzantine (1st c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Roman (Numidia)
Limes military colony at Biskra oasis with camp and Triton mosaic.
🇵🇸 Palestine · Tell
Sharuhen (Tell el-Ajjul)
Middle Bronze to Egyptian New Kingdom (2000–1150 BCE) · Hyksos / Egyptian
Hyksos rampart fortress (15 m thick) besieged 3 years by Ahmose.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Fortress
Castellum Tidditanorum
Numidian to Byzantine (2nd c. BCE–7th c. CE) · Numidian / Roman (Cirtan)
Cirtan confederation castellum with 14-towered walls and oil presses.
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Thelepte (Feriana / Medinet el-Kdima)
Roman to Byzantine (1st c CE – 7th c CE; colonia under Trajan) · Roman / Byzantine (Byzacena)
Byzacena road city at Sahara edge, Thelepte flourished as Byzantine dux capital with massive fortress (1.2 km circuit) built from Roman spolia, two basilicas with mosaics, baths an...
🇩🇿 Algeria · Fortress
Lambaesis Legionary Camp (Tazoult)
Roman (81 CE – 5th c CE; legionary base 123–238 CE) · Roman (Legio III Augusta)
Africa's largest legionary fortress, Lambaesis housed 6,000 men of III Augusta with principia, baths, amphitheatre, aqueduct and arch of Commodus. Headquarters shrine and numerus i...
🇱🇾 Libya · Fortress
Gasr Isawi
Roman Tripolitania (2nd–7th c. CE) · Roman (Tripolitanian Lim.
Tarhouna centenarium fort (60×40 m) controlling olive terraces.
🇪🇬 Egypt · Ancient city
Paraetonium (Marsa Matruh) – Lagoon Fortress
Pharaonic to Byzantine (New Kingdom – 7th c CE; Ptolemaic port 300 BCE) · Egyptian / Ptolemaic / Roman / Byzantine
Egypt's western gate on Mediterranean lagoon, Paraetonium began as Ramesses II's western chain fort, then great Ptolemaic lagoon port with Alexander–Cleopatra stopover tradition; l...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Fortress
Tell el-Retaba (Wadi Tumilat Fortress)
Second Intermediate to Saite (c. 1800–525 BCE; Hyksos–Ramesside fortress) · Hyksos / New Kingdom Egyptian (Ramesside)
Wadi Tumilat gate fortress claimed as biblical Pithom/Succoth, with Hyksos glacis and Ramesside Tjeku fortress of Seti I (Pr-Atum). Excavated by Naville, Petrie and Polish mission...
🇵🇪 Peru · Megalith
Sacsayhuamán
Inca Imperial, 15th century; possibly Killke antecedents · Inca
Cyclopean fortress-temple complex 2 km northwest of Cusco with three zigzagging dry-stone ramparts of limestone blocks up to 120 tonnes and 9 m high, fitted without mortar with sub-millimeter…
🇳🇬 Nigeria · Ancient village
Surame Outlier Hillforts
Kebbi Empire (15th–18th c.) · Kebbi / Zamfarawa
Chain of 4 hilltop outlier forts with 1.5 km walls each protecting Surame fields.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Altava (Ouled Mimoun) – Mauretanian Frontier
Roman to Vandal–Mauretanian Kingdom (1st c – 7th c CE) · Roman / Mauretanian–Berber kingdom of Altava
Most westerly Roman castrum in Algeria, Altava became 6th c Mauretanian kingdom capital of chieftain Masuna rex gentium Mauraorum, with Latin church inscriptions documenting Romano...
🇪🇬 Egypt · Tell
Tell el-Yahudiya North (Leontopolis Annex)
Hyksos to Ptolemaic (1720 BCE – 73 CE) · Hyksos / Egyptian / Ptolemaic Jewish (Onias)
Northern spur of the classic double-tell of Yahudiya, with Hyksos rampart extension and Onias-period Jewish cemetery north of the temple platform where Petrie found inverted pots a...
🇲🇷 Mauritania · Ancient city
Tegdaoust (Aoudaghost) West Ksar
Aoudaghost (c. 500–1400 CE; Berber–Ghanaian citadel) · Berber (Sanhaja) / Soninke Ghanaian conquest 1055
Berber ksar on Aoukar dune edge, Aoudaghost West preserves citadel, mosque and cavern granaries that stored caravan millet, described by al-Bakri and Ibn Hawqal; Ghana 1055 seizure...
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Thubunae (Barika) – Hodna Basin Fort
Roman to Byzantine (1st–7th c CE) · Roman / Byzantine (Numidia)
Southernmost Numidian walled town 32 ha facing Hodna chott, Thubunae dominates Sahara margin with 1.8 km circuit and Donatist basilica; 411 Conference bishop list.
🇱🇾 Libya · Fortress
Boreum (Al Burdi) – Desert Frontier Tower
Ptolemaic to Byzantine (3rd c BCE – 7th c CE) · Ptolemaic / Roman / Byzantine (Cyrenaica–Marmarica)
Desert–lagoon frontier tower at Marmarica's Cyrenaica edge, Boreum guarded the coastal road's last water before Egyptian desert and lagoon fishery.
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Fortress
Henchir Sidi Amara – Roman–Byzantine Fort
Roman to Byzantine (2nd–7th c CE) · Roman / Byzantine
Frontier fortlet on steppe ridge with Roman farm and Byzantine quadrangle fort (80×60 m) reusing inscriptions, on Thelepte–Cillium road.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Ancient city
Mascula (Khenchela) – Aurès Road Station
Roman (1st–7th c CE; colony under Trajan) · Roman (Numidia)
Mountain road colony with large baths fed by Aurès springs, arch of Caracalla and Byzantine chapel, on Theveste–Lambaesis road.
🇹🇳 Tunisia · Ancient city
Uzappa (Ksour Abd el Melk)
Roman to Byzantine (1st–7th c CE) · Roman / Byzantine
Dorsal pass town with Byzantine fortress reusing temple blocks, forum and basilica; controls Kairouan–Gafsa road.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Fortress
Thamallula (Theniet Belezma)
Roman (1st–5th c CE) · Roman (Numidia)
Pass fort on northern Aurès road, Thamallula guards the Belezma gap with courtyard fortress and road village.
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka · Archaeological wonder
Sigiriya (Lion Rock)
Moriyan Anuradhapura · Sinhala
5th-century rock fortress-palace of Kassapa I atop 180 m column, frescoed Mirror Wall, Lion Gate, with summit palace, hydraulic gardens and moat. Short-lived capital 477–495 CE.
🇩🇿 Algeria · Fortress
Castellum Tingitanum (El Asnam / Chlef)
Roman (1st–7th c CE) · Roman (Mauretania Caesariensis)
Cheliff valley fortified village with Donatist basilica, inscription of martyrdom 304 CE, and earthquake-prone castellum walls.