Batna (city)
Appearance
Batna (also Bâtnah) is the main city of Batna Province, Algeria. It is located at 35.57° North, 6.17° East. With a population of 285.800 (2004 estimate) it is the fifth largest city of Algeria, and the principal city of the Chaoui area.
First solid fondations military camp of the city were erected by French garnison in 1844 with strategic mission to create permanentely guarded access point the main Sahara road. Batna geographical situation offers a natural break through Atlas mountains passage. Romans detected the strategic importnace of the city and build the antic city Timgad around the 1st century after J.-C.
The ruins of Lambaesis are located nearby.
Bibliography
- "Colonialism and After : An Algerian Jewish Community" by Elizabeth Friedman (Greenwood Books, 1988).
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