The history of Algeria cannot be measured in decades or centuries, but in millennia. This is a land upon which successive civilizations have risen, drawn by its fertility and wealth that made empires drool. Yet, after every stumble, it rises stronger; after every setback, it returns with more determination and resolve. Discussing the antiquity of Algeria’s ancient cities takes us back to the era before Christ. It is a history written on stones that still stand to this hour, in the largest open-air museum in the world, after Rome.
In this report, we rediscover the 10 oldest cities in Algeria, founded before the birth of Christ.
1. Iol (Cherchell) – Older than the Pyramids
The modern city of Cherchell, located 80 km west of the capital, was founded by the Phoenicians as a trading post and vital port in the 8th century BCE. It was known in antiquity as "Iol" and flourished significantly during the Carthaginian era.
The Surprise: Many scholars believe that Cherchell was an Egyptian colony in the mid-2nd millennium BCE (around 1500 BCE), predating the Phoenician presence. This theory is supported by the discovery of a black basalt Egyptian statue bearing the cartouche of Pharaoh Thutmose I (1493-1482 BCE), now displayed in the city's museum.
2. Hippo (Annaba) – The Mediterranean Gem
The Phoenicians founded the city of Hippo around the 12th century BCE, naming it after the gulf on which it stood, known as "Hipponensis Regius." During the Roman period, it was known as "Hippo Regius."
The modern name Annaba was given by Hayreddin Barbarossa in 1522 due to the abundance of jujube fruit (annab in Arabic) in the area. The city contains magnificent Roman ruins, most notably the Basilica of Saint Augustine.
3. Cirta (Constantine) – Bridges Suspended Over Time
Cirta (or Qirta) is one of the oldest cities in the world, founded over 2,500 years ago as the capital of the Numidian (Amazigh) Kingdom. From its walls, great Numidian kings like Massinissa and Jugurtha led their resistance against Roman influence.
The word "Cirta" has Punic-Phoenician origins meaning "city" or "village," and may derive from the Amazigh word "Serth" or "Teserth," meaning "millstone." Emperor Constantine renamed it after himself following its reconstruction.
4. Icosium (Algiers) – The City of Twenty
Icosium is the ancient name for the current capital of Algeria. The Phoenicians founded it as a trading post on the site of the present-day Casbah during the 1st millennium BCE. The name means "Island of Gulls" or "The Twenty."
Greek mythology holds that 20 companions of Hercules founded the city, linking the name to the number twenty. It transformed into a prosperous Roman city in the 1st century BCE (146 BCE) before successive Vandal, Byzantine, and Islamic conquests.
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5. Theveste (Tébessa) – The Oldest in Africa
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The city of Theveste (modern Tébessa) was established as an important Roman colony, but its roots go back to the 3rd century BCE. The historian Diodorus Siculus, who lived during the time of Emperor Augustus, mentioned it as one of the oldest cities in North Africa.
The city witnessed great prosperity during the Roman and Byzantine eras. Its enduring landmarks include the Arch of Caracalla, the temple, and the Roman theatre.
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6. Rusicade (Skikda) – The Lighthouse for the Lost
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Rusicade was founded as a Punic-Phoenician center before the 4th century BCE. Its name means "Head of Fire" because the Phoenicians built a lighthouse there to guide ships at night, a tradition that continued for centuries.
The city became an important port during the Roman era and retains archaeological features that testify to its profound historical depth.
7. Tipaza – The Passage to Eternity
The Phoenicians founded Tipaza as a commercial colony. Its name in their language means "Passage" because it connected the cities of Icosium (Algiers) and Iol (Cherchell). A Phoenician colony dating back to the 5th century BCE has been discovered there.
When the Romans arrived, they transformed it into a major colony during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Tipaza is now a UNESCO World Heritage site, renowned for its unique Roman ruins.
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8. Igilgili (Jijel) – Maker of Men
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The origin of the city of Jijel dates back to the 6th century BCE, according to the most reliable historical accounts. The Phoenicians built it as a trading center and safe harbor on the northwestern Mediterranean coast.
Historians disagree on the origin of the name. Some say it is Phoenician meaning "Beach of the Eddy" or "Whirlpool Shore," while others claim it is Amazigh meaning "From Hill to Hill," referring to its rugged mountainous terrain.
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9. Saldae (Béjaïa) – City of Warriors
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Saldae is the ancient name for the modern city of Béjaïa. It was founded by the Phoenicians and was an important commercial center before the Roman era. Later, Emperor Augustus established a settlement for Roman veterans there in the 1st century BCE (around 26-27 BCE).
The city flourished during the Middle Ages as the capital of the Hammadid dynasty, becoming a beacon of knowledge and culture that profoundly influenced Islamic and world civilization.
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10. Milaf (Mila) – The Birth of Civilization
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Some sources suggest that the city of Mila was built two or three centuries before the Christian era by Numidian kings. It was called "Milo" after a Berber queen and was known by several names, including: Milaf (meaning "A Thousand Water Springs"), Milium Molion, Medius, and Milah.
The city is distinguished by its Roman bridges and Byzantine fortresses. It is considered one of the oldest cities that has preserved its historical character despite the succession of civilizations upon it.
These ten cities are not merely names on a map; they are brilliant pages in the book of human civilization. From the Phoenicians to the Carthaginians, Numidians, Romans, Byzantines, Fatimids, Hammadids, and Almohads, Algeria has remained the Land of Civilizations, the homeland of the Amazigh, and a crossroads of cultures.
It is an invitation to every Algerian, every Arab, and every lover of history to visit these open-air museums under the Algerian sky and to touch the stones that speak of millennia of history.