Draft:History of Oran

Situated on the northwest coast of Algeria, Oran is the second biggest city in all of Algeria, and has a rich history that unfolds from ancient times as a Phoenician trading post. Over the years, it played a crucial role in different historical eras.

Prehistoric Humans
The site of Oran has been a place of prehistoric human activity, as revealed by archaeological excavations carried out in the 19th and 20th centuries. Remains of human presence in Algeria date back 400,000 years, marked by Atlanthropus' discoveries amid stone tools he crafted at the prehistoric lake Ternifine, in Oran. Human traces estimated at 100,000 years old have been found. Caves from the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras were uncovered by François Doumergue and Paul Pallary in 1892 at Cuartel, Kouchet El Djir, and Eckmühl quarries, known as Alain Shelter. Numerous archaeological artifacts, including polished stone tools, scrapers, axes, blades, and knives, were collected, some housed in the Ahmed Zabana Museum. Unfortunately, many archaeological sites, despite being classified, have disappeared due to quarry expansion and precarious housing. Around 5000 BCE, new populations from the Near East coexisted and intermingled with the descendants of the original inhabitants, laying the foundations for the Berber Tuareg family.

Judaisation of Oran
According to legend, certain tribes in North Africa were Judaized by a disciple and companion of the prophet Moses, Joshua, who is said to be buried in Tlemcen. Fleeing persecution by the pharaohs against the Israelites, Joshua headed towards the Maghreb. Observing that the contemporary populations practiced paganism, he taught them monotheism and Hebrew laws. Some of these populations accepted and adopted it as their religion, albeit without active proselytism, leading to limited expansion. The legend persists, claiming that Joshua is buried on a beach equidistant from Ghazaouet and Nédroma. His mausoleum has been a pilgrimage site for centuries, especially during Jewish festivals.

Punic-Roman Period
Several ancient sites have been identified in the vicinity of Oran, revealing notable Punic and Roman presences. The Punic period is primarily evidenced by the vast necropolis of Andalusia and numerous artifacts such as vases, bowls, and urns found on the site. These discoveries were made during the expansion of the tourist zone at Andalouses Beach, located 30 kilometers west of Oran. Many other objects have also been unearthed more recently in the neighboring regions of Bousfer and El Ançor An old hypothesis suggested that the first Jews arrived with the Phoenicians However, this hypothesis is now challenged, as there is no archaeological, epigraphic, or other evidence to support pre-Roman African Judaism. Still, Jewish presence becomes more prominent in comparison to other provinces of the Roman West, and it is well documented in the Late Roman Empire.

While the Phoenicians selected the Madagh cove west of Oran for their trading post, the Romans opted to develop the site of Portus Magnus, located 40 kilometers east of Oran in the present-day city of Bethioua The current port of Oran and Mers-el-Kébir were known by the name Portus Divini Some authors presume that this name romanized a Punic site called Arylon, known only through ancient texts.

It's not surprising that the Romans bestowed such a flattering name on the Mers el-Kebir bay. However, no traces of Roman antiquity have been found in Oran. Several authors speculate about a Roman settlement in the location of Oran, although its sources are unknown. The Spanish writer Marmol mentioned: "It was called in Roman times Unica Colonia, although some give it another name," and further adds: "It was one of the richest cities in Mauretania Caesariensis, where there were... a considerable number of mosques..." Anatole Toulotte, who authored a "Geography of Christian Africa" in the late 19th century, suggests locating Gratianopolis, whose bishop in 484 was named Talasius, in Oran Numerous ancient statues discovered in the Oran region, including figures like Poseidon, Hercules, Bacchus, and Apollo, can be observed at the Ahmed Zabana Museum. In the 2nd century, the Oran region experienced a Jewish immigration wave from Cyrenaica and Egypt, mirroring the broader trends in the Maghreb.

Christianization appears relatively late, as evidenced by numerous remains from the 4th century, some of which are on display at the Oran Museum The oldest Christian inscription in Oran dates back to 302 in Altava (Ouled Mimoun), while the earliest ones in Regiae (Arbal, Tamzoura) are from 345 and 352. Inscriptions in Albulae (Aïn Témouchent) begin in 408 Christianity established a strong presence, as reflected in the list of Catholic bishops summoned in 484 to Carthage by the Vandal king Huneric, which includes several bishops from the broader Oran region (those of Altava, Albulae, Regiae, Dracones (Hammam bou Hadjar), Pomaria (Tlemcen), etc.)

Foundation
In the 10th century, the ancient Portus Divini of the Romans, along with most of the coves on this coast, were under no jurisdiction or official control. The Maghreb coasts were periodically used by sailors from Pechina, then under the rule of Al-Andalus, to trade with the Rustamid Kingdom and its nearby capital Tahert and the city of Tlemcen. Gradually, these establishments became permanent. Simultaneously, the Umayyad Caliphs of Cordoba sought to establish themselves on the African coasts. At the first signs of the disintegration of the Abbasid Empire, the Arabs of Andalusia, at the height of their power, chose to develop commercial outposts on the North African coast. Thus, Oran was founded in 902 on the territory of the Beni Mesguen, a tribe of the Azdadja. by the sailors Mohamed Ben Abou Aoun and Mohamed Ben Abdoun, supported by a group of Andalusian sailors backed by the Caliphs of Cordoba

Cordoban-Fatimid Conflict
Between 910 and 1082, Oran becomes a focal point of conflict between the Umayyads of Cordoba and the Fatimids. The conflict between factions of the Ifrenids and the Fatimids intensifies. In 954, the city of Oran is captured by the Ifrenids under the command of Yala Ibn Mohamed Under his command, Oran is destroyed, and its population is relocated to the new city he had built, Fekkan The Fatimids capture Oran with the assistance of the Zirids, who then reconstruct the city of Oran at its present site Then Ziri ibn Atiyya of the Maghrawas, governor of the Maghreb, retakes Oran and several cities from the Sanhadjas. His son, Al Moez ibn Ziri, succeeds him in 1005, becoming the Umayyad governor in the Maghreb. His father bequeaths to him Oran, Tlemcen, Achir, M'Sila, and others.

Almoravides-Almohad Period
In 1077, the city falls under the rule of the Almoravids. However, Oran is captured in 1145 by the Almohad forces, who had already triumphed in Tlemcen. This occurs after the Almoravid emir, Ibrahim ibn Tachfin, and his favorite, Aziza, are killed during their retreat when they and their horse fall from the cliffs of Mount Murdjajo The Almohad presence was marked from 1147 by the onset of persecutions against the Jews of Oran. The new port of Oran, more precisely Mers el-Kebir, was established in 1162 The empire that dominated the Maghreb for several decades gradually fragmented, eventually giving way to local dynasties.

Hafsid/Zayyanid/Merinids
In 1230, the Hafsids from Tunis, in 1235, the Zayyanids from Tlemcen, and later in 1258, the Marinids from Fès, asserted their control. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Jews from the Western Mediterranean traded with the Jews of Oran. During the first expulsion in 1391, Spanish Jews sought refuge in the Maghreb and Oran, particularly. "Within half a century," said Mr. L. Fey, "Oran changed hands nine times... Ben-Abbad managed to maintain control of the Oran government, recognizing himself as a vassal of the Hafsid kingdom of Tunis (1437). Around this time, Oran welcomed the famous Mohammed IX al-Aysar, nicknamed 'the left-handed,' the fifteenth king of Granada, who was forced to flee his rebellious subjects. In 1228, upon Ben-Abbad's death, Oran came under the rule of the Zayyanids of Tlemcen." Under the protection of the emir, the city experienced great prosperity. It benefited from a customs system (tariffs), traded with Marseille, and signed a trade treaty with the Italian republics of Genoa and Venice in 1250. Oran became a bustling hub for a highly active and extensive trade, dealing in goods ranging from hides to slaves to gold. Marmo and Alvarès Gomès bear witness: "Ivory, ostrich hides, tanned cowhides, gold powder, and cereals were inexhaustible sources of wealth for the inhabitants, who excelled in the production of woolen fabrics and bladed weapons. Venetians, Pisans, Genoese, Marseillais, and Catalans eagerly purchased these products, exchanging textiles, trinkets, crude hardware, and iron in return." Oran boasted 6,000 houses, splendid mosques, and vast commercial warehouses.

Spanish Period
We are at the beginning of the 16th century. In July 1501, well before the Spaniards, the Portuguese launched an expedition to try to land on the beach of Andalusia. It would take until the landing at Mers-el-Kébir in 1505 to see Spain engage in the first organized expedition against Oran. The city then had 6,000 households, or about 25,000 inhabitants. The capture of the city by the army of the Spanish cardinal, who was mainly Castilian Francisco Jiménez de Cisneros commanded by Pedro Navarro, took place on May 17, 1509. After the occupation of the port of Mers-el-Kébir, and that of the city of Oran, the city was deserted, then completely occupied by Spanish troops. "It is the most beautiful city in the world," exclaimed Cardinal Jiménez de Cisneros in 1509 after seeing Oran the Joyful, which he had just annexed by force to the crown of the Catholic Monarchs