Cherchell
Encyclopedia
Cherchell is a seaport town in the Province of Tipaza
, Algeria
, 55 miles west of Algiers
. It is the district seat
of Cherchell District. As of 1998, it had a population of 24,400.
settled at Cherchell in the 4th century BC and named the town Iol or Jol. The town became a part of the kingdom of Numidia
under Jugurtha
, who died in 104 BC
. The town became very significant to the Berber
monarchy and generals of Numidia. The Berber Kings Bocchus I
and Bocchus II
lived there, as occasionally did other Kings of Numidia. Situated in an area called Mauretania
, which was apart of the Numidian kingdom.
The last Numidian king Juba II
and his wife, the Greek
Ptolemaic
princess Cleopatra Selene II were forced to flee the other part of Numidian kingdom because the local population disapproved of their king being too Romanized, which caused civil unrest between 26 BC
-20 BC
. Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus
had intervened in the situation and divided the Numidian Kingdom into two. One half of the kingdom became a part of the Roman province of Africa Nova. Western Numidia and Mauretania (the second half of the kingdom) became one kingdom. Iol was renamed Caesaria or Caesarea, in honor of the emperor. Caesaria would become the capital of the Roman client kingdom of Mauretania
. The kingdom of Mauretania became one of the important client kingdoms in the Roman Empire
, and their monarchs were one of the most loyal client monarchs that served Rome.
Juba and Cleopatra did not just rename their new capital, but rebuilt the town in fine Roman style on a large, lavish and expensive scale. The construction and sculptural projects in Caesaria and throughout the kingdom were built on a rich mixture of ancient Egyptian
, Greek
and Roman
architectural styles. The monarchs are buried in their mausoleum, the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania
which can still be seen. The seaport capital and its kingdom flourished until 40, when its last monarch Ptolemy of Mauretania
was murdered on a visit to Rome
.
In 44 after a four year bloody revolt, the Roman Emperor Claudius
divided the Mauretanian kingdom into two provinces. Caesaria became the capital of Mauretania Caesariensis
, one of the two provinces. Claudius gave Caesaria two names: the capital Caesariensis while the town became the a Roman colony Colonia Claudia Caesarea. The town was the birthplace to the Roman Emperor Macrinus
and Greek grammarian Priscian
. From 314 to 484, four titulars and one Donatist
served the local Christian community. Caesaria was also the birthplace of Catholic Saint, Marciana
(her feastday is on 9 January). This virgin martyr was accused of vandalizing a statue of the goddess Diana
. After being tormented, Marciana was gored by a bull and mauled by a leopard in the amphitheatre at Caesaria. In the 5th century, the Vandals
burnt the town, but it was recaptured under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I
, restored, and returned to its previous level of importance.
and introduced Islam to the country. In the local Berber dialect, gradually replaced by Arabic, the original name of the town, Caesaria, evolved into Sharshal. Cherchell is the French spelling of the contemporary Arabic/Berber name of the town.
Under Turkish occupation the town, became infested by pirate invasions, but this was gradually brought under control by European navies (particularly the French Navy
). In 1520, Hayreddin Barbarossa captured the town and annexed the Algerian Pashalic. His elder brother Oruç Reis had built a fort over the town, and this fort was completely destroyed during the French occupation.
In 1738, a terrible earthquake shook the town. In 1840, the French had captured and occupied the town. The French built monuments in the town. During archaeological excavations, many ancient statues were either left in Cherchell, or taken to museums in Algiers
or Paris
, France
. From the building projects of the French, ancient buildings have been damaged. Dress stones from the Roman amphitheatre
were used to the build the barracks and materials from the Hippodrome were used to build the church. The steps of the Hippodrome were partly destroyed by Cardinal Charles Lavigerie
in a search for the tomb of Saint Marciana.
During World War II, Cherchell served as a base for the US army, hosting a summit conference between the US and UK in October 1942. Cherchell has around 60,000 inhabitants. Cherchell has industries in marble, plaster quarries and iron mines. The town trades in oils, tobacco and earthenware. The ancient cistern still supplies water to the town.
Cherchell is one of the most popular tourist places in Algeria. Cherchell has various splendid temples and monuments from the Punic, Numidian and Roman
periods, and the works of art found there, including statues of Neptune and Venus, are now in the Museum of Antiquities
in Algiers. The former Roman port is no longer in commercial use and has been partly filled by alluvial deposits and has been affected by earthquakes. The former local mosque of the Hundred Columns contains 89 columns of diorite
. This remarkable building now serves as a hospital. The local museum displays some of the finest ancient Greek and Roman antiquities found in Africa. Cherchell is the birthplace of writer and movie director Assia Djebar
.
Tipaza Province
Tipaza or Tipasa is a province on the coast of Algeria, Its capital is Tipasa, 50 km west of the capital of Algeria.-Administrative divisions:...
, 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...
, 55 miles west of Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
. It is the district seat
Districts of Algeria
The provinces of Algeria are divided into 553 districts . The capital of a district is called a district seat...
of Cherchell District. As of 1998, it had a population of 24,400.
Ancient history
The Phoenicians of CarthageCarthage
Carthage , implying it was a 'new Tyre') is a major urban centre that has existed for nearly 3,000 years on the Gulf of Tunis, developing from a Phoenician colony of the 1st millennium BC...
settled at Cherchell in the 4th century BC and named the town Iol or Jol. The town became a part of the kingdom of 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...
under Jugurtha
Jugurtha
Jugurtha or Jugurthen was a King of Numidia, , born in Cirta .-Background:Until the reign of Jugurtha's grandfather Masinissa, the people of Numidia were semi-nomadic and indistinguishable from the other Libyans in North Africa...
, who died in 104 BC
104 BC
Year 104 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Marius and Fimbria...
. The town became very significant to the Berber
Berber people
Berbers are the indigenous peoples of North Africa west of the Nile Valley. They are continuously distributed from the Atlantic to the Siwa oasis, in Egypt, and from the Mediterranean to the Niger River. Historically they spoke the Berber language or varieties of it, which together form a branch...
monarchy and generals of Numidia. The Berber Kings Bocchus I
Bocchus I
Bocchus was a king of Mauretania about 110 BC and designated by historians as Bocchus I. He was also the father-in-law of Jugurtha, with whom he made war against the Romans. He delivered Jugurtha to the Romans in 106 BC....
and Bocchus II
Bocchus II
Bocchus II was king of Mauretania. Son of Bocchus I , who was dead in 49 BC, in the early years of Bocchus reign, Mauretania was jointly ruled between Bocchus and his younger brother Bogud, with Bocchus ruling east of the Mulucha River and his brother west. As enemies of the senatorial party,...
lived there, as occasionally did other Kings of Numidia. Situated in an area called Mauretania
Mauretania
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...
, which was apart of the Numidian kingdom.
The last Numidian king Juba II
Juba II
Juba II or Juba II of Numidia was a king of Numidia and then later moved to Mauretania. His first wife was Cleopatra Selene II, daughter to Greek Ptolemaic Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman triumvir Mark Antony.-Early life:Juba II was a prince of Berber descent from North Africa...
and his wife, the Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
Ptolemaic
Ptolemaic dynasty
The Ptolemaic dynasty, was a Macedonian Greek royal family which ruled the Ptolemaic Empire in Egypt during the Hellenistic period. Their rule lasted for 275 years, from 305 BC to 30 BC...
princess Cleopatra Selene II were forced to flee the other part of Numidian kingdom because the local population disapproved of their king being too Romanized, which caused civil unrest between 26 BC
26 BC
Year 26 BC was either a common year starting on Tuesday or Wednesday or a leap year starting on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Monday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
-20 BC
20 BC
Year 20 BC was either a common year starting on Wednesday or Thursday or a leap year starting on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday of the Julian calendar and a common year starting on Tuesday of the Proleptic Julian calendar...
. Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus
Augustus
Augustus ;23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14) is considered the first emperor of the Roman Empire, which he ruled alone from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD.The dates of his rule are contemporary dates; Augustus lived under two calendars, the Roman Republican until 45 BC, and the Julian...
had intervened in the situation and divided the Numidian Kingdom into two. One half of the kingdom became a part of the Roman province of Africa Nova. Western Numidia and Mauretania (the second half of the kingdom) became one kingdom. Iol was renamed Caesaria or Caesarea, in honor of the emperor. Caesaria would become the capital of the Roman client kingdom of Mauretania
Mauretania
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...
. The kingdom of Mauretania became one of the important client kingdoms in the Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, and their monarchs were one of the most loyal client monarchs that served Rome.
Juba and Cleopatra did not just rename their new capital, but rebuilt the town in fine Roman style on a large, lavish and expensive scale. The construction and sculptural projects in Caesaria and throughout the kingdom were built on a rich mixture of ancient Egyptian
Ancient Egyptian architecture
The Nile valley has been the site of one of the most influential civilizations which developed a vast array of diverse structures encompassing ancient Egyptian architecture...
, Greek
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
and Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
architectural styles. The monarchs are buried in their mausoleum, the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania
Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania
The Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania is a funerary monument on the road between Cherchell and Algiers, in Algeria. The Mausoleum is the tomb where the Roman clients Juba II and Cleopatra Selene II, king and queen of Mauretania, are buried.-History:...
which can still be seen. The seaport capital and its kingdom flourished until 40, when its last monarch Ptolemy of Mauretania
Ptolemy of Mauretania
Ptolemy of Mauretania was a prince and the last Roman client King of Mauretania.-Family and early life:Ptolemy was the son of King Juba II and Queen Cleopatra Selene II of Mauretania. He had a younger sister called Drusilla of Mauretania...
was murdered on a visit to Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
.
In 44 after a four year bloody revolt, the Roman 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...
divided the Mauretanian kingdom into two provinces. Caesaria became the capital of Mauretania Caesariensis
Mauretania Caesariensis
Mauretania Caesariensis was a Roman province located in northwestern Africa. It was the easternmost of the North African Roman provinces, mainly in present Algeria, with its capital at Caesarea , now Cherchell.-Historical background:In the first century AD, Roman...
, one of the two provinces. Claudius gave Caesaria two names: the capital Caesariensis while the town became the a Roman colony Colonia Claudia Caesarea. The town was the birthplace to the Roman Emperor Macrinus
Macrinus
Macrinus , was Roman Emperor from 217 to 218. Macrinus was of "Moorish" descent and the first emperor to become so without membership in the senatorial class.-Background and career:...
and Greek grammarian Priscian
Priscian
Priscianus Caesariensis , commonly known as Priscian, was a Latin grammarian. He wrote the Institutiones grammaticae on the subject...
. From 314 to 484, four titulars and one Donatist
Donatist
Donatism was a Christian sect within the Roman province of Africa that flourished in the fourth and fifth centuries. It had its roots in the social pressures among the long-established Christian community of Roman North Africa , during the persecutions of Christians under Diocletian...
served the local Christian community. Caesaria was also the birthplace of Catholic Saint, Marciana
Marciana of Mauretania
Marciana is venerated as a martyr and saint. Her legend states that she was a virgin from Mauretania Caesariensis. During the persecutions of Christians by Roman Emperor Diocletian, she was accused of having smashed a statue of Diana. Marciana was thrown to the wild beasts in the amphitheatre of...
(her feastday is on 9 January). This virgin martyr was accused of vandalizing a statue of the goddess Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
. After being tormented, Marciana was gored by a bull and mauled by a leopard in the amphitheatre at Caesaria. In the 5th century, the Vandals
Vandals
The Vandals were an East Germanic tribe that entered the late Roman Empire during the 5th century. The Vandals under king Genseric entered Africa in 429 and by 439 established a kingdom which included the Roman Africa province, besides the islands of Sicily, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balearics....
burnt the town, but it was recaptured under the Byzantine Emperor Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
, restored, and returned to its previous level of importance.
Modern history
The Arabs in the 8th century conquered AlgeriaAlgeria
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...
and introduced Islam to the country. In the local Berber dialect, gradually replaced by Arabic, the original name of the town, Caesaria, evolved into Sharshal. Cherchell is the French spelling of the contemporary Arabic/Berber name of the town.
Under Turkish occupation the town, became infested by pirate invasions, but this was gradually brought under control by European navies (particularly the French Navy
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
). In 1520, Hayreddin Barbarossa captured the town and annexed the Algerian Pashalic. His elder brother Oruç Reis had built a fort over the town, and this fort was completely destroyed during the French occupation.
In 1738, a terrible earthquake shook the town. In 1840, the French had captured and occupied the town. The French built monuments in the town. During archaeological excavations, many ancient statues were either left in Cherchell, or taken to museums in Algiers
Algiers
' is the capital and largest city of Algeria. According to the 1998 census, the population of the city proper was 1,519,570 and that of the urban agglomeration was 2,135,630. In 2009, the population was about 3,500,000...
or Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. From the building projects of the French, ancient buildings have been damaged. Dress stones from the Roman amphitheatre
Amphitheatre
An amphitheatre is an open-air venue used for entertainment and performances.There are two similar, but distinct, types of structure for which the word "amphitheatre" is used: Ancient Roman amphitheatres were large central performance spaces surrounded by ascending seating, and were commonly used...
were used to the build the barracks and materials from the Hippodrome were used to build the church. The steps of the Hippodrome were partly destroyed by Cardinal Charles Lavigerie
Charles Lavigerie
Charles Martial Allemand Lavigerie was a French cardinal, archbishop of Carthage and Algiers and primate of Africa.Born at Bayonne, he was educated at St Sulpice, Paris...
in a search for the tomb of Saint Marciana.
During World War II, Cherchell served as a base for the US army, hosting a summit conference between the US and UK in October 1942. Cherchell has around 60,000 inhabitants. Cherchell has industries in marble, plaster quarries and iron mines. The town trades in oils, tobacco and earthenware. The ancient cistern still supplies water to the town.
Cherchell is one of the most popular tourist places in Algeria. Cherchell has various splendid temples and monuments from the Punic, Numidian and Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
periods, and the works of art found there, including statues of Neptune and Venus, are now in the Museum of Antiquities
Museum of Antiquities (Algiers)
The Museum of Antiquities is a museum in Algiers, Algeria.It displays antique mosaics, ancient Islamic art and Roman glass work and sculptures.-External links:*...
in Algiers. The former Roman port is no longer in commercial use and has been partly filled by alluvial deposits and has been affected by earthquakes. The former local mosque of the Hundred Columns contains 89 columns of diorite
Diorite
Diorite is a grey to dark grey intermediate intrusive igneous rock composed principally of plagioclase feldspar , biotite, hornblende, and/or pyroxene. It may contain small amounts of quartz, microcline and olivine. Zircon, apatite, sphene, magnetite, ilmenite and sulfides occur as accessory...
. This remarkable building now serves as a hospital. The local museum displays some of the finest ancient Greek and Roman antiquities found in Africa. Cherchell is the birthplace of writer and movie director Assia Djebar
Assia Djebar
Assia Djebar is the pen-name of Fatima-Zohra Imalayen , an Algerian novelist, translator and filmmaker. Most of her works deal with obstacles faced by women, and she is noted for her feminist stance. Djebar is considered to be one of North Africa's pre-eminent and most influential writers...
.
Historical population
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1901 | 9,000 |
| 1926 | 11,900 |
| 1931 | 12,700 |
| 1936 | 12,700 |
| 1954 | 16,900 |
| 1966 | 11,700 |
| 1987 | 18,700 |
| 1998 | 24,400 |
External links
- Various ancient ruins of Cherchell: