Messaâd

Messad (sometimes Messaad; ) is a town in Algeria. It was the Roman Castellum Dimmidi.

History

It is about south of Algiers. During the Roman period it was known as Castellum Dimmidi after the Romans under emperor Septimius Severus seized the settlement.Francois Decret, Early Christianity in North Africa (James Clarke & Co, 2011) p. 6 It is unclear if the second part of the name, Dimmidi, was a native name transliterated into Latin, or a new name given by the Romans.

As the Castellum (castle) implies, the settlement was a fortress along the Limes Tripolitanus, the southern border of the province of Numidia. It was a prosperous village and hosted a Roman garrison from roughly 198 to 240 AD. Dr. Rebound, "Notes Archéologiques sur les Ruines de Djelfa", php4arab.com. URL last accessed on 8 May 2006.

Messaad has a population of nearly 120,000 inhabitants.

See also

Castellum Dimmidi

References