| Official Name: | Aïn Oulmene |
| Native Name: | عين اولمان |
| Settlement Type: | Commune and town |
| Mapsize: | 180px |
| Pushpin Label Position: | bottom |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: |  Algeria |
| Subdivision Type1: | Province |
| Subdivision Name1: | Sétif Province |
| Subdivision Type2: | District |
| Subdivision Name2: | Aïn Oulmane District |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 530 |
| Population As Of: | 2008 |
| Population Footnotes: | [1] |
| Population Total: | 73831 |
| Population Density Km2: | 139 |
| Timezone: | CET |
| Utc Offset: | +1 |
| Elevation M: | 950 |
| Postal Code: | 19200 |
| Area Code: | 1928 |
Aïn Oulmene (ar|عين اولمان; Berber:ⵢⵏⵓⵍⵎⴰⵏ), the classical Zaraï, is a town and commune in Sétif Province in north-eastern Algeria.[2] [3]
The town derives its name from the Arabic "ain" ("source") and the Berber "Oulmane" ("weaver's son").[4] The name could also mean "Fountain Elms" according to . "Oulmen" is the plural of "Oulmou," meaning "elm" in Berber, from the Latin "Ulmus".[5]
The town is the capital of the Aïn Oulmene county. Located 30 kilometers southwest of Sétif, the Algerian Route Nationale 28 runs through Aïn Oulmene. At an altitude of 950 meters, Aïn Oulmene is situated between the high fertile plains south of Sétif and the Hodna Mountains to the west. The east of the town is generally flat terrain, while its western part has small mountains. The highest of these peaks is Osmane Jebel, reaching 1,100 meters. The town had 73,831 inhabitants in 2008 census.
See main article: Zaraï. The indigenous inhabitants of Aïn Oulmene were the Zenata and Sanhadja Berber tribes.
Zaraï was a Carthaginian trading post that minted its own bronze coins.
According to Stéphane Gsell, who undertook excavations in the area in the early 20th century, the plains to the south of the Sétif colony founded by Nerva (96-98) were Roman-occupied. This occupation stretched all the way to Zaraï during the reign of Hadrian (AD117-138). At the time, the plains constituted a military and fiscal territory protected by a cohort stationed at Zaraï (either the 1st Flavia Equilata or). For centuries, Aïn Oulmene was a Roman and Byzantine era necropolis.
In the 8th century, Uqba ibn Nafi installed a garrison nearby.
Aïn Oulmene was the capital of the township of (pronounced "ryɣa") from 1880 to 1958. The name "Aïn Oulmene" appeared for the first time in 1887 on an administrative document. Aïn Oulmene was known as "Colbert" by the French from 1887 and was the capital of the Colbert commune from 1935 to 1962. The name "Aïn Oulmene" reappeared in 1962 with the independence of Algeria.
Aïn Oulmene is located in an agricultural region. Cereal and vegetables were once cultivated here, but after the drought of the last quarter century, tobacco, livestock and poultry are more popular.
The town has a football club ESAO (previously ESC) founded in 1927 whose colors are blue and white. There is a boxing club and a women's handball club which has represented Algeria in various international competitions.