Timgad, founded around AD 100 by the emperor Trajan as Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi, lies in the Aures Mountains of Algeria, about 35 kilometers east of Batna. Built for an initial population of roughly 15,000 on a strict Roman grid, it is considered one of the best-preserved examples of Roman town planning anywhere, and its street plan quickly spread past its original orthogonal boundary as the city grew. Surviving monuments include the Arch of Trajan, a theater seating about 3,500, four public bathhouses, a library, and a Capitoline temple. Timgad declined after Vandal raids of the 5th century and was abandoned by the 8th century; UNESCO listed it as a World Heritage Site in 1982.
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