Prehistory The town of Souk Ahras, as its region, was home to people of the
Aterian culture from the end of the
Middle Palaeolithic to the early upper
Palaeolithic Ages. After the Aterian, Souk Ahras was inhabited by people of the
Capsian culture. Many stone tools dating to this period have been discovered. Stemmed arrows were found on the site of present-day Souk Ahras, but also in
Tiffech and
Taoura, not far from it.
Antiquity It was the birthplace of
Augustine of Hippo (born 13 November 354 CE), son of
Saint Monica of Hippo, who later became the Bishop of Hippo and Saint Augustine. Souk Ahras (Thagaste) has played an important role in the political and cultural history of the region because of its strategic position at the crossroads of
Numide, Ancient Roman, and
Berber civilizations. It was the location of military fortifications (
Madaure,
Tiffech,
Khemissa, etc.) and urban centers. ====
Thagaste==== Thagaste was a town of Numidia in
Roman North Africa, on the banks of the
Oued Hamise river.
Augustine of Hippo was born here. The
Roman city is identified with
ruins of Tajilt near Souk Ahras, Algeria. The Numidian city of Thagaste or Tagaste, on whose ruins Souk Ahras was built, was situated in the north-eastern highlands of
Numidia. It was about from
Hippo Regius, (present day
Annaba), southwest of
Thubursicum (present day Khamissa), and about from
Carthage (on the coast of present-day
Tunisia). Thagaste became a
Roman municipium. The city was mentioned by
Pliny the Elder. As a
municipium, Thagaste was not settled by Roman Italian immigrants, but was inhabited by Romanized native
Berbers.
Modern era In 1830 Souk Ahras became a colonial settlement of
French Algeria (1830–1962). In the late 19th century connection via the
Algerian Railway, and in the 20th century
iron ore and
phosphate mining brought some modern significance and prosperity to the town. During the
Algerian War of Independence (1954–1962), Souk Ahras housed the Ouled Bechiah Mounts as an autonomous military base of the
Army of National Liberation (ALN), called "Basis of the East". == Geography ==