Hippo Regius

Hippo Regius was an ancient coastal town in present-day eastern Algeria, located near the mouth of the river Seybouse. The ruins are located in the south of the city of Annaba.

History

Hippo as Carthage founded in the 9th or 8th century BC by Phoenicians from Tyre as a commercial establishment.

At the time of the second Punic War of Massylierherrscher Gala ( Massylier ) conquered this colony. 205 BC landed the later consul Gaius Laelius in the harbor of Hippo Regius, which the Roman offensive in North Africa began. Masinissa, son of Gala, (hence their nickname Regius ) made ​​the city 201-149 BC in one of the residences of Numiderkönige. 46 BC Hippo Regius of the Roman Empire was annexed after the victory of Caesar at Thapsus and the province of Africa Nova slammed. Initially, the city was now a municipium and was later the legal status of a colony. Trading in Hippo flourished because of this ( and Carthage ) Rome his most African products involved.

Christian bishops of Hippo are traced back to 259 AD. Saint Augustine, who came from the some 70 kilometers south Thagaste, 391 came after a multi-year stay in Italy to Hippo, where he founded the first African monastery. He was from 396 until his death in 430 Bishop of Hippo.

In the year 431 the city was taken after a 18- month siege by the Vandals under Genseric, and was then up to the conquest of Carthage eight years the capital of the Vandal kingdom. After the conquest of the old provincia africa by the Byzantine general Belisarius Hippo came 533 to the Byzantine Empire. In the year 698 the city was conquered by Muslim Arabs and razed to the ground.

In the 11th century, Arabs founded a few kilometers from the ancient center of the city Beleb -el- Anab, which evolved into the present-day Annaba.

Archaeological finds

French excavations have brought in Hippo some interesting ruins to light, including temples, theaters, the forum and also an early Christian basilica. Than episcopal church of St. Augustine is addressed.