CONSTANTINE, kon'stan-ten'. A fortified city and a Catholic episcopal see, the capital of Constantine, the easternmost department of Algeria (Map: Africa E 1). It is situated on a precipitous hill with a flat summit, three sides of which are washed by the Rummel,flowing through a deep and narrow ravine. The fourth and west side is connected by a natural mound with the surrounding mountains. It is S30 feet above the river and 2162 feet above the sea. It is sur rounded by walls constructed by the Arabs out of Roman sculptured stones. The streets in the Moorish or older portion of the town are nar row and dirty, and the houses mean. The chief ancient buildings are the Kasha, or citadel, of Roman construction; the palace of the Bey; the harem of Sahli' ; and three mosques, one of which, Suk-er-Rezel, dating from 1143, is now the Christian Church of Notre Dame des; Sept Don leurs. The modern and French portion of the town is marked by wide streets and open squares. Its principal buildings include the Palais de Justice, administrative buildings, the Protestant church, and theatre. The Mohammedans sup port a medreso, or religious seminary, and the French Government maintains a college and other educational institutions for Arabic and European culture. There are an archaeological
society and museum of local antiquities. The town has manufactures of woolen cloths, sad dlery. and other articles in leather, and a con siderable grain trade with Tunis. Its seaport for foreign trade is Philippeville, 50 miles to the northeast, with which and the principal towns of Algeria it is connected by rail. Constantine, anciently one of the most important towns of Numidia, called Carta by the Carthaginians, and Cirta by the Romans. was a royal resi dence. It was destroyed in the wars of Max (lain: against Alexander. a biffil A.D. 311, was soon rebuilt by Constantine the Great, from whom it derives its present name. It was a flourishing town in the twelfth century, its com mercial relations extending to Venice, Genoa, and Pisa. Subsequently it shared in general the fortunes of Algeria. The French captured it by assault. after a long siege. in 1837. Population, in 1901, 48,911, including 15,096 French resi dents.