- Calama (titular see)
Calama is a Catholic
titular see of Africa, corresponding to modernGuelma ,Algeria .History
Calama appears to be the Roman name of
Suthul , a city inNumidia , besieged byPostumius 110 BC [Sallust, Bel. Jugurth., xxxvii.] . It became a Roman "municipium " as early asHadrian , and a colony a little later.In the time of
Diocletian it was included inProconsular Africa , but its bishops were subject to Numidia. The city was captured by theVandals on their arrival in Africa (429).Count Bonifacius was defeated near the city in 431.A great many inscriptions found at Guelma have proved that it is the modern substitute for Calama. It has 7300 inhabitants (1500 French), and is an important cattle market. Among its ruins are a Byzantine citadel and walls built by the
Patricius Solomon during the Byzantine reoccupation.Four bishops are known:
*Donatus , 305
*Megalius , who consecratedSt. Augustine in 395 and died in 397
*St. Possidius , elected in 397
*Quodvultdeus in 484.Possidius was a disciple of St. Augustine in the monastic life; at Calama he suffered persecution from heathens and
Donatists , and was obliged to leave his city for some time. The contemporary Donatist bishop wasCrispinus ; among the heathens we know a certain Nectarius, a correspondent of St. Augustine. Possidius disarmed his enemies by his charity. After the sack of Calama by the Vandals, he retired toHippo and attended St. Augustine on his death-bed. He also wrote the life and a catalogue of the works of his master.References
*
Morcelli , "Africa christiana", I, 115
*Gams , Series Episcoporum Ecclesiae Cath. (Ratisbon, 1873), I, 464
*Ravoisié, Exploration scientif. de l'Afrique, II
*Gsell, Monuments antiques de l'Algérie (Paris, 1901)
*Reboud, Recueil de not. et mém. de la soc. de Constantine (1882-1883), C, I, 24-51External links
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03148c.htm Source]
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