CEUTA (Arabic SEBTA), a Spanish military and convict station and sea-port on the north coast of Morocco, in 54' N., 5° 18' W. Pop. (estimated, 1930), 50,614. It is situated on a promontory connected with the mainland by a narrow isthmus, and marking the south-eastern end of the Straits of Gibraltar, which between Ceuta and Gibraltar have a width of 14 miles. The promontory terminates in a bold headland, the Montagne des Singes, with seven peaks, of which the highest, the Monte del Hacko—the ancient Ablya, one of the "Pillars of Hercules"— rises 636 ft. above the sea.
Ceuta occupies in part the site of a Carthaginian colony, which was succeeded by a Roman colony said to have been called 11d Septem Fratres and also Exilissa or Lissa Civitas. From the Romans the town passed to the Vandals and afterwards to Byzantium, the emperor Justinian restoring its fortifications in 535. In 618 the town, then known as Septon, fell into the hands of the Visigoths. It was the last stronghold in North Africa which held out against the Arabs. At that date (A.D. 711) the governor was Count Julian, who, to avenge a family wrong, invited the Arabs to conquer Spain. By the Arabs the town was called Cibta or Sebta, hence the Spanish form Ceuta. It was repeatedly being captured by rival Berber and Spanish-Moorish dynasties but became, nevertheless, an important industrial and commercial city, being noted for its brassware and its trade in ivory, gold and slaves. It is said to have been the first place in the West where a paper manufactory was established. In 1415 the town was captured by the Portuguese. It passed to Spain in 1580 on the subjugation of Portugal by Philip II., and was defi nitely assigned to the Spanish Crown by the Treaty of Lisbon in 1688. The town has been several times unsuccessfully besieged by the Moors, one siege, under Mulai Ismail, lasting 26 years (1694-1720). In 181o, with the consent of Spain, it was occupied by British troops, but was restored to Spain at the close of the Napoleonic Wars. As a result of the war between Spain and Morocco in 186o the area of Spanish territory around the town was increased.
Ceuta consists of two quarters, the old town, covering the low ground of the isthmus, and the modern town, built on the hills forming the north and west faces of the peninsula. Between the old and new quarters, and on the north side of the isthmus, lies the port. The fortifications date from the Portuguese occupation. For civil purposes Ceuta is attached to the province of Cadiz. It is a free port, but does little trade.