Tébessa (Arabic: ولاية تبسة ) is a wilaya of Algeria. In ancient times it was known as Theveste - city of Numidia. During the 1st century CE, the Legio III Augusta resided there before being transferred to Lambaesis. It was made a colonia probably under Trajan. There is mention of a council held there by the Donatists. Among its saints were St Lucius, its bishop, who in 256 assisted at the Council of Carthage and died as a mertyr two years later; St Maximilianus, martyred 12 March, 295; St Crispina, martyred 5 December, 304. Some of its bishops are known: Romulus in 349; Urbicus in 411; Felix exiled by the Vandals in 484; Palladius mentioned in an inscription. It was rebuilt by the patrician Solomon at the beginning of the reign of Justinian I, and he built a tomb there which still exists. Under the Ottoman Empire, Theveste had a garrison of Janizaries. In 1851 it has been occupied by the French. Under the name of Tebessa it became the capital of a canton of the Department of Constantine in Algeria. Tebessa is very rich in ancient monuments, among them being a triumphal arch of Caracalla, a temple, a Christian basilica of the 4th century.