Lamta

Lamta is a coastal town of the the Tunisian Sahel located between Monastir at north (14 kilometers) and Mahdia at the south (28 kilometers).

Attached to the Governorship of Monastir, it constitutes a municipality of 5408 inhabitants (founded the April 8th 1985). It is the Chef-lieu of a delegation of 21.948 inhabitants trained with the municipalities of Sayada and Bouhjar. The municipalities bordering are Sayada in the south, Bouhjar and Ksar Hellal in the west and Ksibet el-Médiouni in north.

History

The history of the city goes back to the Antiquité where it bears the name of Leptis Minor to distinguish it from Leptis Magna located in Tripolitaine (current Libya). Leptis Minor, also spelled Leptiminus or Leptis Washout, is in the beginning a libyque Agglomération subjected to the punic influences. It is chosen by the Carthaginians like station in the Mediterranean basin within sight of the characteristics of this city and what it represents in terms of safety and strategic site for their Navire S. That led to its transformation into important shopping mall. It is mentioned for the first time at fourth century BC by the Périple of the Pseudo-Scylax .

The city remains famous for its role in various events of ancient Tunisia:

In 237 av. J. - C., Hamilcar Barca gains in the surroundings important victory over the Mercenaires which, under the command of Mathó, revolt against Carthage the shortly after the First Punic War.
In 203 av. J. - C., at the time of the Second Punic War, Hannibal Barca, of return of the countryside of Italy where it gained its fulgurating victories of Trasimène and Cannes, unloads there before regaining Hadrumète and delivering to its last battle to Zama against the troops of Scipion the African.
During the Third Punic War, Leptis Minor is one of the seven punic cities which are combined with Rome against Carthage. After the destruction of the latter in 146 av. J. - C., victorious and Masters of the province of Africa, the Romans grant this city the statute of “civitas released and immunis” (quoted free and free from taxes).

The strategic range of this city is again underlined by the adventures of the Roman civil war of 47 - 46 av. J. - C.. On this date, Leptis Minor is combined with Jules César against the Pompée NS before famous the Bataille of Thapsus. After the defeat of the republicans, the kingdoms numides are annexed by Rome to form Africa Nova (Africa news) to replace Africa Vetus (first Roman province).

The rise of this city is confirmed by its relatively early promotion, compared to many African cities, with the row of colony by the Roman Emperor Trajan at the beginning of the 2nd century. This city, strongly romanized, then knows the establishment of a great number of Roman citizens of Italic origin and the mixing of various populations. Another sign of this integration to the Roman Empire, the relatively sizeable rate in the Statistical S of the soldiers of origin leptitain who are used in the third legion for IIe century. The politico-economic importance of this city also arises owing to the fact that it is, at the 3rd century, the Chef-lieu of domanial an area known as “regio leptiminesis”. In addition, the epigraphy indicates that the imperial Culte is practiced there and that Bacchus and Venus was among the divinities venerated in this city.

This port opened with the trade, human and cultural flows is a hinge place between the Mediterranean basin and its own back-country. The very active commercial exchanges in addition support the establishment of foreign tradesmen and banking agencies and services to facilitate the transactions. Within this framework, one knows that this city is authorized to strike Monnaie. These exchanges cart auusi foreign and especially Eastern religious influences. Thus, the Christian religion is mentioned there dice the medium of IIIe century. As from this time, this city is represented by bishop S in different Concile S from the Roman Catholic church in 256, 411, 484 and 641. She also knows the great conflict which tears the African Christianisme since are reproduced on the lists of the participants in these councils of the catholic bishops but also donatists. At the time of the Byzantine conquest in 533, the army directed by the general Bélisaire passes by the city while moving towards Carthage. The politico-strategic importance of Leptis Minor is again stressed by its choice like sits of the Byzantine military command in Byzacène and its important equipment fortresses.

Following the Islamic conquest, under the reign of the Aghlabides, the city is seen equipping in 859 with the one with oldest the Ribat S which were shelled along the coast ifriquienne. This ribat is probably built on the ruins of a Byzantine fortress. The Arab geographer Al Idrissi evokes it at the 12th century under the name of Ksar Lamta. One century later, the Arab traveller Al Tijani mentions Lamta among the cities and villages of the Sahel.

Culture

Known according to certain passages of texts (Polybe and the Bellum africanum ), its punic history is attested by funerary archaeological data provided by vast a Nécropole located at north of Lamta. Its Roman period, known better, is attested by various vestiges exposed to the museum of Lamta like to the National museum of Bardo (including one mosaic of the 3rd century appearing Apollon, the 9 Muses and the 4 Saison S). But the principal part undoubtedly remains the Christian Sarcophage discovered in 1975 between Sayada and Ksar Hellal, which constitutes a single work of art in Tunisia as well by its beauty as by its state of conservation.

It is in Lamta that is held each year the Festival of the Bsissa.

References

Random links: