𐤕𐤌𐤃𐤏𐤕 (TMD'T) (تمدعت) | |
 Roman amphora and mosaic of Tamuda, in the "Archaeological Museum of Tetouan" | |
  Tamuda Shown within Morocco | |
| Location | Morocco |
|---|---|
| Region | Tanger-Tetouan-Al Hoceima |
| Coordinates | 35°33′30″N5°24′35″W / 35.55833°N 5.40972°W /35.55833; -5.40972 |
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Tamuda (inpunic : 𐤕𐤌𐤃𐤏𐤕) was an ancientPheonician city and later a roman military camp inMauretania Tingitana. It is located 6 km (4 miles) west of the present-dayTetouan in northernMorocco. Stone ruins from the site are found by the south bank of theMartil Valley. It was considered a city in accordance with the rules of urbanization of the time.[1][2]
The ancient city was founded in the 3rd century BC by the Pheonicians as a Coast city. A type of a seahorse, representing Phoenician iconography, with rider encountered on a clay jar was found at Tamuda.[3]
Under the EmperorAugustus Romans occupied the city. Around 42 AD, Roman garrisons leveled Tamuda during an insurrection and in its stead erected a fortified settlement.[4] The Emperor Augustus' successors later rebuilt the city as a Romancastrum.
Tamuda became later one of the major cities of theRoman provinceMauretania Tingitana and enjoyed a development duringTrajan andSeptimius Severus rule. It was used for fish salting and purple production, according to researcher from the University of Cadiz.[5] On theNotitia Dignitatum, written in the fifth century, it is stated that at the end of the fourth century Tamuda's castrum was the headquarters of an "Ala Herculea" (cavalry unit) of locallimitanei and that was related to acohortes ofLixus.
The region around Tamuda was fully Romanized, Christianized and "pacified" during the fifth century and the fort probably was dismantled. By the time theVandals arrived in the fifth century the city had been possibly abandoned as no contemporary chronicle mentions it anymore.[6]
In the late 13th century small fortifications existed near the Roman ruins with the name "Tittawin", that later were renamed "Tetouan".[7]
Artifacts from both theRoman and thePhoenician era have been found in the site of Tamuda.[8]
In 1933, a third century (circa 253-257 A.D.) stone recording a Roman victory over some unnamedbarbarians was discovered at the site of Tamuda. It is believed that the inscription refers to theFranks.[9][10]
In July 2018, a group of researchers discovered at the site arib fragment from aNorth Atlantic right whale dated from 180 A.D. 396 A.D.[11] They suggest that the Romans may have conducted industrial-scale whaling in the coasts of the Western Mediterranean.[12]
Romano-Berber cities in Roman North Africa | ||
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Sorted by contemporary national borders | ||
| Morocco | %2c_Algeria_04966r.jpg) | |
| Algeria |
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| Tunisia | ||
| Egypt | ||
| Spain | ||
| Kingdoms and provinces | ||
| Related articles | ||
1 UNESCO World Heritage Sites2 Proposed | ||
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| Geographic | |
| Other | |
