Tiddis

Tiddis
Castellum Tidditanorum; Tiddi
Ruins of Tiddis
Location within Algeria
36.463333°N 6.483889°E / 36.463333; 6.483889
Type	Ancient settlement
Periods	Numidian, Roman, Late Antique
Satellite of	Cirta
Location	Algeria
Region	Constantine Province
Part of	Territory of Cirta in the Roman period
Site notes
Excavation dates	19th century; systematic excavations from 1941
Archaeologists	André Berthier
Condition	Ruins

Tiddis (also known in antiquity as Castellum Tidditanorum and later as Tiddi) was an ancient settlement in Numidia, in what is now Constantine Province in eastern Algeria. It lies above the gorges of the Rhumel, about 16 kilometres northwest of ancient Cirta (modern Constantine). In the Roman period Tiddis belonged to the communities dependent on Cirta. Inscriptions refer to its community as Castellum Tidditanorum, res publica Tidditanorum and, later, res publica Castelli Tidditanorum.

Occupation of the site predates Roman rule. The cemeteries preserve evidence of protohistoric burial traditions and hand-modelled ceramics, while imported material indicates contacts beyond the immediate region. During the Roman imperial period the steep eastern slope was densely occupied, with streets, terraces and buildings adapted to the terrain. Tiddis remained occupied into Late Antiquity, when it was also the seat of a Christian bishopric.