Capsa (see)
Encyclopedia
Capsa is a titular see
of North Africa.
The city, said to have been founded by the Libyan Hercules, belonged to King Jugurtha, who had deposited his treasures there; it was captured by Gaius Marius
in 106 BC
and destroyed, but later became a Roman colony. When Africa was divided into two provinces by Justinian, it was assigned to Byzacena
. Under Justinian the Duke of Byzacena resided there and the town which was protected by a strong citadel, was called Justiniana Capsa.
In the eleventh century after the Arab conquest, more than two hundred flourishing villages stood in the surrounding region.
Five bishops, one a Donatist, are known from 255 to 484 (Morcelli, Africa Christiana, 1, 118, Gams
, 464). The modern name of the town is Gafsa
; it is situated in a most fertile oasis, about 81 miles west of Gabès
and 128 west of Sfax
, with which it is connected by a railway. The oasis has about 5000 inhabitants trading in dates, carpets, and wool rugs. It is well watered, has magnificent palm-trees, and is an important centre for French military and civil administration in Tunisia
.
Titular see
A titular see in various churches is an episcopal see of a former diocese that no longer functions, sometimes called a "dead diocese". The ordinary or hierarch of such a see may be styled a "titular bishop", "titular metropolitan", or "titular archbishop"....
of North Africa.
The city, said to have been founded by the Libyan Hercules, belonged to King Jugurtha, who had deposited his treasures there; it was captured by Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius was a Roman general and statesman. He was elected consul an unprecedented seven times during his career. He was also noted for his dramatic reforms of Roman armies, authorizing recruitment of landless citizens, eliminating the manipular military formations, and reorganizing the...
in 106 BC
106 BC
Year 106 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Caepio and Serranus...
and destroyed, but later became a Roman colony. When Africa was divided into two provinces by Justinian, it was assigned to Byzacena
Byzacena
Byzacena was a Roman province in what is now Tunisia.At the end of the third century AD, the Emperor Diocletian divided the great Roman province of Africa Proconsularis into three smaller provinces: Zeugitana in the north, still governed by a proconsul and referred to as Proconsularis, Byzacena,...
. Under Justinian the Duke of Byzacena resided there and the town which was protected by a strong citadel, was called Justiniana Capsa.
In the eleventh century after the Arab conquest, more than two hundred flourishing villages stood in the surrounding region.
Five bishops, one a Donatist, are known from 255 to 484 (Morcelli, Africa Christiana, 1, 118, Gams
Gams
Gams is a municipality in the Wahlkreis of Werdenberg in the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland.-History:Gams is first mentioned in 835 as Campesias. In 1210 it was mentioned as Chames, in 1236 as Gamps. Until the Middle Ages it was a Romansh village and was known in Romansh as...
, 464). The modern name of the town is Gafsa
Gafsa
Gafsa is the capital of Gafsa Governorate of Tunisia. Its name was appropriated by archaeologists for the Mesolithic Capsian culture. With a population of 84,676, it is the 9th Tunisian city.-Overview:...
; it is situated in a most fertile oasis, about 81 miles west of Gabès
Gabès
Gabès , also spelt Cabès, Cabes, Kabes, Gabbs and Gaps, the ancient Tacape, is the capital city of the Gabès Governorate, a province of Tunisia. It lies on the coast of the Gulf of Gabès. With a population of 116,323 it is the 6th largest Tunisian city.-History:Strabo refers to Tacape as an...
and 128 west of Sfax
Sfax
Sfax is a city in Tunisia, located southeast of Tunis. The city, founded in AD 849 on the ruins of Taparura and Thaenae, is the capital of the Sfax Governorate , and a Mediterranean port. Sfax has population of 340,000...
, with which it is connected by a railway. The oasis has about 5000 inhabitants trading in dates, carpets, and wool rugs. It is well watered, has magnificent palm-trees, and is an important centre for French military and civil administration in Tunisia
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...
.
List of Titular Bishops
- Charles-François Bailly de Messein (26 September 1788 Appointed - 20 May 1794 Died)
- Barthélemy Bruguière, M.E.P. (5 February 1828 Appointed - 20 October 1835 Died)
- Bl. Laurent-Joseph-Marius Imbert, M.E.P. (26 April 1836 Appointed - 21 September 1839 Died)
- St. Siméon-François Berneux, M.E.P. (5 August 1854 Appointed - 8 March 1866 Died)
- Augustin Chausse, M.E.P. (16 December 1880 Appointed - 12 October 1900 Died)
- Joseph Sweens, M. Afr. (1 January 1910 Appointed - 12 April 1950 Died)
- Alfredo Verzosa y Florentin (25 February 1951 Appointed - 27 June 1954 Died)
- Charles Garrett MaloneyCharles Garrett Maloney (bishop)Charles Garrett Maloney served as the Auxiliary Bishop of Louisville and titular Bishop of Bardstown, Kentucky.-Education:...
(30 December 1954 Appointed - 2 February 1995 Appointed, Titular Bishop of Bardstown) - Adalberto Paulo da Silva, O.F.M. Cap. (24 May 1995 Appointed - present)