Iomnium
IOMNIUM [MAURETANIA]
In spite of the location of a small modern village at Tigzirt, the history of the site is relatively well known through early and recent excavations and through the discovery of inscriptions.
A native town, then a municipium, the ancient center occupied a flat area on a point jutting out into the Mediterranean. What seems to have been the administrative center of the settlement is found near the end of this point. It undoubtedly included the forum as well as a very well-preserved building, a temple dedicated to the tutelary spirit of the neighboring town of Rusucurru (Dellys) by a municipal magistrate on the site of his house. A portion of the district has been cleared. It has two streets crossing each other at right angles and a small Christian basilica. Excavation of this part of the site indicates that it was occupied until the end of antiquity.
Nearby a Christian basilica was cleared and restored in the last century. The building has three naves with galleries over the aisles. There was a baptistery of polyfoil plan to the NE. Nearby public baths and an ornamental mosaic can still be seen. Inscriptions and statues are found scattered in the modern town.
The town of Dellys is dominated by a large hill to the E. Where the modern village of Taksebt is located, there stood a large ancient settlement. One can still see some of its remains, in particular part of a large mausoleum. This site must no doubt be identified with Rusippisir, which was a municipium and possibly a colony. Perhaps there existed an administrative link between the two localities of Rusippisir and lomnium.
BIBLIOGRAPHYE. Frézouls and A. Hus in MélRome 66 (1954) 147-63; M. Euzennat, ibid. 65 (1953) 127-28 and 69 (1957) 75-80; S. Lancel, ibid. 66 (1956) 293-333.
P.-A. FÉVRIER