Henchir-Mâtria Explained

Henchir-Mâtria is an archaeological and prehistoric site in northern Tunisia.^{[1] [2] [3]} Henchir-Mâtria is at, between Béja and Dougga and elevation of 407 metres (1,335 feet).^{[1] [4]} It is on the Oued el Beida River.

History

During the Roman Empire and late antiquity Henchir-Mâtria was a civitas in the Roman province of Africa Proconsolaris called Numluli.^{[5] [6] [7]}

Several structures have been uncovered there.^{[8] [9]}

Bishopric

During antiquity Henchir-matria was also the seat of an ancient Christian Bishopric,^{[10] [11]} suffragan to the Archdiocese of Carthage. History records two bishops of the town Aurelius a Catholic attendee at the Council of Carthage of 411, and the bishop Donatian who attended the anti monothetalism Council of 646. Today the diocese survives as titular see of the Roman Catholic Church. The Most recent Bishop was William Clifford Newman, of Baltimore, who died May 20th, 2017.

Notes and References

1. https://mapcarta.com/29054738 Henchir el-Matria
2. http://www.gcatholic.org/dioceses/former/t1293.htm Titular Episcopal See of Numluli
3. Anna Leone, Changing Townscapes in North Africa from Late Antiquity to the Arab Conquest (Edipuglia srl, 2007) p347.
4. http://tn.geoview.info/henchir_elmatria,8354530 Henchir el-Matria
5. Web site: Numluli, Henchir Matria – Digital Atlas of the Roman Empire.
6. Anna Leone, Changing Townscapes in North Africa from Late Antiquity to the Arab Conquest (Edipuglia srl, 2007) p347.
7. Carte des routes et des cités de l'est de l'Africa à la fin de l'Antiquité, 2010, p. 188.
8. A. Mastino – V. Porcheddu, L'Horologium offerto al pagus civium romanorum ed alla civitas di Numluli, in: M. G. Bertinelli Angeli – A. Donati (Hrsg.), Misurare il tempo, misurare lo spazio. Atti del colloquio Aiegl - Borghesi 2005 (Faenza 2006), 123–162
9. https://archive.org/stream/ElMaatrianumluli.Thibar.Tunisie/matria_djvu.txt EL MAATRIA (Numluli) THIBAR, TUNISIA
10. [Pius Bonifacius Gams]
11. Stefano Antonio Morcelli, Africa christiana, Volume I, (Brescia, 1816), pp. 247–248.