Iulia Constantia Zilil was one of the three colonias in Mauretania Tingitana (in northern Morocco) founded by emperor Augustus between 33 and 25 B.C. for veterans of the battle of Actium. The city had then already been a Phoenician and Mauretanian city since the 4th century B.C.. It was an important station on the Antonine Itinerary. It was located at approximately 40 km south-west of Tangier, 13 km in the north-east of Asilah, close to the present village of Dshar Jdid. In the second half of 2nd century A.D., the city was surrounded by an enclosure. It comprised residential districts, a big temple and a theater, outside of the city a thermal unit (built in 80 A.D.) and a cistern with four compartments, supplied with a partly underground aqueduct (built in 130 A.D.). The most spectacular monument of Iulia Constantia was that of an early Christian church, in three naves, equipped with a baptistery and various appendices, close to the western door. The city was finally destroyed during the years 410-430 A.D., the time of the invasion of Mauretania Tingitana by Vandal tribes.

[edit] Sources

• Eliane Lenoir, "Fouilles de Dchar Jedid", 1977-1980, B.A.M.,XIV, 1981-1982, p.169-225. (Akerraz et alii).
• Eliane Lenoir, "La ville romaine de Zilil du Ier av IVe siècle ap. J.-C., dans L’afrique romaine, Iersiècle av. J.-C - début Ve siècle ap. J.-C., colloque de la SOPHAU", Pallas, 68, 2005, p. 65-76.