The List of Byzantine forts and other structures in the Maghreb lists photos of the fortresses built between 533 and 698 on the territory of the Byzantine Empire in the Maghreb. On one hand, they served to pacify the Berbers within the empire and, on the other hand, to ward off external enemies.
The Vandals, who had ruled in the heartland of the former Western Roman Empire since 439, had considerable difficulties defending the national borders against the Berbers or keeping the Berbers under Vandal rule under control.[1] which prompted large landowners and smallholders alike to fortify their farms.[2] After the Eastern Roman reconquest of the areas conquered by the Vandals in the 5th century and renewed subjugation of small Roman-Berber states established in the same period, various fortresses were built there both on the border[3] as well as within the area ruled by the Eastern Romans.[4] Some of the smaller Roman forts were also repaired.
Construction of the fortresses took place mainly during the second term of office of the praetorian prefect Solomon 539 to 544, whereby the substance of older Roman buildings was often used as building material. Most of the fortresses are significantly smaller than their Roman predecessors and mostly classify as forts. Many of these forts were subsequently used and rebuilt by the Arabs and Ottomans. Some of them even served as a stylistic model for building your own fortresses. In addition, building material from Byzantine buildings was used for the construction of a number of Arab fortresses, such as the Fort Sidi Salem Bou Ghara near the Roman city of Gigthis.[5] This makes it considerably more difficult to identify a fortress in the Maghreb as Byzantine.
| Name (Latin) | Description | Location | Time of construction | Size | Bild | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aggar | Inland fortress in southern Africa Proconsularis | Sidi Amara | no data available | 0,05 ha | ||
| Ammaedara | Border fortress in the far west of the Byzacena | Haïdra | between 534 and 565[6] | 2,55 ha | ||
| Capsa | Border fortress in southern Byzacena | Gafsa | no data available | k. A. | ||
| Chusira | Inland fortress | La Kesra | arguably between 534 and 565, more likely before 544[7] | 0,28 ha | ||
| Civitas Vazitana Sarra | Inland fortress in Africa Proconsularis | Henchir-Bez | no data available[8] | 0,06 ha | ||
| Clupea | Inland fortress protecting the namesake city, modified in Ottoman times | Kelibia | no data available | k. A. | ||
| Cuicul | Inland fortress protecting the namesake city in Mauretania Sitifensis | Djémila | no data available[9] | 0,03 ha | ||
| Gadiaufala | Inland fortress in Numidia | Ksar Sbahi | between 539 and 544[10] | 0,16 ha | https://www.leguidetouristique.com/ruinesbr/fort-byzantine-gadiovala-ksar-al-sobihi | |
| Iunci | Inland fortress on the coast of the Byzacena | (Younga) near Sfax | during the tenure of Justin II. (566–578)[11] | no data available | ||
| Lamasba | Inland/border fortress in the Belezma range often called Ksar Belezma | Mérouana | between 536 and 544[12] | 1,4 ha | ||
| Lambaesis | Inland/border fortress south of the Belezma range | Tazoult-Lambèse | no data available[13] | no data available | ||
| Leptis Magna | Fortified coastal city in Tripolitania | Leptis Magna | arguably between 533 and 565[14] | 28 ha | ||
| Limisa | Inland fortress in the north of the Byzacena | Ksar Lemsa | arguably between 585 and 600[15] | 0,09 ha | ||
| Mactaris | Inland fortress in Africa Proconsularis | Maktar | no data available[16] | 0,35 ha | ||
| Madauros | Inland fortress close to the coast in Mauretania Sitifensis | Madauros | between 534 and 544[17] | 0,24 ha | ||
| Musti | Inland fortress in Africa Proconsularis | Mustis | no data available[18] | 0,2 ha | ||
| ? | Inland fortress | Ksar El Hadid | no data available | no data available | ||
| Oea | Fortified coastal city in Tripolitania | Tripolis | presumably by Phonicians in the 7th century b.C. | no data available | ||
| Sabratha | Fortified coastal city in Tripolitania | Sabrata | arguably between 533 and 565[19] | 9,0 ha | ||
| Sicca Veneria | Inland fortress to protect the city | El Kef | arguably between 533 and 565[20] | no data available | ||
| Sitifis | Inland fortress to protect the city | Sétif | between 539 and 544[21] | 1,69 ha | ||
| Suas | Inland fortress in Africa Proconsularis | Chaouach | no data available | no data available. | ||
| Sufetula | Inland fortress in the far southwest of the Byzacena | Sbeitla | no data available | no data available | ||
| Thamugadi | Inland/border fortress in Numidia | Timgad | 539/540[22] | 0,75 ha | ||
| Thagura | Inland fortress in Numidien | close to Souq Ahras | 539/or 548 („before the death of Theodora“)[23] | 0,53 ha | https://www.leguidetouristique.com/ruinesbr/thagura-taoura | |
| Theveste | Fortified town in eastern Numidia | Tebessa | between 536 and 544[24] | 7,5 ha | ||
| Thignica | Inland fortress in Africa Proconsularis | Ain Tounga | arguably before the death of Justinian I. 565[25] | 0,28 ha | ||
| Tipasa | Basilika an der Küste von Mauretania Prima | Tipasa | no data available | no data available | ||
| Tipasa | Inland fortress, possibly city fortifications in Numidien | Tifech | presumably before 553[26] | 2,25 ha [27] | https://harba-dz.com/annuaire-algerie/41-wilaya-de-souk-ahras/site-de-tiffeche-tipaza-de-numidie/ | |
| Tubunae | Border fortress in Mauretania Sitifensis | Tobna | in the 6.th century, no details[28] | 0,50 ha | https://www.leguidetouristique.com/ruinesbr/tobna | |
| Tubernuc | Structure of unknown purpose in Africa Proconsularis | close to Grombalia | no data available | no data available | ||
| Vaga | inland fortress in Numidia | Béja | before the death of Empress Theodora in 548[29] | no data available | ||
| Vescera? | Possible border fortress in Numidien | Biskra | no data available | no data available | ||
| Zabi | Possible border fortress in Mauretania Sitifensis[30] | M'Sila, Ortsteil Bechilga | no data available | no data available | ||
| Zaga? | Potential inland fortress in Africa Proconsularis[31] | Ksar Zaga | no data available | no data available | ||
| Zucchara | Inland fortress in southern Africa Proconsularis | Ain-Djoukar | no data available | no data available |