IOMNIUM
(Tigzirt) Algeria.
In spite of the
location of a small modern village at Tigzirt, the history
of the site is relatively well known through early and recent excavations and through the discovery of inscriptions.
A native town, then a municipium, the ancient center
occupied a flat area on a point jutting out into the Mediterranean. What seems to have been the administrative
center of the settlement is found near the end of this
point. It undoubtedly included the forum as well as a
very well-preserved building, a temple dedicated to the
tutelary spirit of the neighboring town of Rusucurru (Dellys) by a municipal magistrate on the site of his house. A
portion of the district has been cleared. It has two streets
crossing each other at right angles and a small Christian
basilica. Excavation of this part of the site indicates that
it was occupied until the end of antiquity.
Nearby a Christian basilica was cleared and restored
in the last century. The building has three naves with
galleries over the aisles. There was a baptistery of polyfoil
plan to the NE. Nearby public baths and an ornamental
mosaic can still be seen. Inscriptions and statues are
found scattered in the modern town.
The town of Dellys is dominated by a large hill to the
E. Where the modern village of Taksebt is located, there
stood a large ancient settlement. One can still see some
of its remains, in particular part of a large mausoleum.
This site must no doubt be identified with Rusippisir,
which was a municipium and possibly a colony. Perhaps
there existed an administrative link between the two
localities of Rusippisir and lomnium.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
E. Frézouls and A. Hus in
MélRome
66 (1954) 147-63; M. Euzennat, ibid. 65 (1953) 127-28
and 69 (1957) 75-80; S. Lancel, ibid. 66 (1956) 293-333.
P.-A. FÉVRIER
