List of Byzantine forts and other structures in the Maghreb

The Vandals, who had ruled in the heartland of the former Roman Province of Africa since 439, had considerable difficulties defending the national borders against the Berbers or keeping the Berbers under Vandal rule under control.^[1] which prompted large landowners and smallholders alike to fortify their farms.^[2] After the Eastern Roman reconquest of the areas conquered by the Vandals in the 5th century and renewed subjugation of small Roman-Berber states established in the same period, various fortresses were built there both on the border^[3] as well as within the area ruled by the Eastern Romans.^[4] Some of the smaller Roman forts were also repaired.

Construction of the fortresses took place mainly during the second term of office of the praetorian prefect Solomon 539 to 544, whereby the substance of older Roman buildings was often used as building material. Most of the fortresses are significantly smaller than their Roman predecessors and mostly classify as forts. Many of these forts were subsequently used and rebuilt by the Arabs and Ottomans. In parts they even served as a stylistic template for the construction of their own fortresses. In addition, building material from Byzantine buildings was used for the construction of a number of Arab fortresses, such as the Fort Sidi Salem Bou Ghara near the Roman city of Gigthis.^[5] This makes it considerably more difficult to identify a fortress in the Maghreb as Byzantine.