The mesa has been used as a fortified site several times in history, as its height provides a clear
vantage point for defenders, and the sheer rock walls make ascent difficult for attackers. Legend holds that
Masinissa, the first
king of Numidia, built the first fortress there around 200 B.C. Around 112 to 105 B.C., King
Jugurtha of Numidia used the mesa to hold off the
Roman legions in his long war with them. The highest cliffs of the mesa still show signs of the steps his soldiers chiseled into the sheer rock to reach the top. In the 18th century, the fortress was reconstructed by a local leader
Senan, a rebel whose long resistance to the troops of the
Bey of Tunis gave the town and area its name. == Gallery ==