Diana Veteranorum
Ruins of Diana Veteranorum (Zana), 2016
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 Shown within Algeria
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| Location | Algeria |
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| Region | Batna Province |
| Coordinates | 35°46′46″N 6°04′31″E / 35.77944°N 6.07528°ECoordinates: 35°46′46″N 6°04′31″E / 35.77944°N 6.07528°E |
Diana Veteranorum (today a village called Ain Zana, Aïn Zana) was an ancient Roman-Berber city in Algeria. It was located around 40 km northwest of Lambaesis and 85 km southwest of Cirta.
Diana Veteranorum was founded in the connection with the settling of Roman veterans of the Legio III Augusta in northern Africa under the emperor Trajan (98-117). Originally probably only Roman vicus with a police station and a community council (described as rest publica Dianensium in an early inscription). It was later promoted to a municipium, but there's some debate, when that actually happened. While it is established that Diana Veteranorum was a municipium latest by 162, a later discovered inscription suggests that it has been a municipium in 149 already and Jacques Gascou concludes from this inscription that the original promotion happened under Trajan even.
Latest 161/162 during the governorship of D. Fonteius Frontinianus the city of Diana Veteranorum was granted the status of a municipium. In 164/165 AD the legate C. Maesius Picatianus issued the construction of a memorial arch for the emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus. During these years Diana Veteranorum saw various construction and renovation measures, however it is not entirely clear which actual buildings were subject to them. In 217 a triumphal arch was erected for the emperor for Macrinus.
A Christian community with a bishop existed since the middle of the third century.
In the Peutinger Table, a map of the Roman empire from the late 4th century, the city is called Ad Dianam. Later it came under the control of the Byzantine Empire. During the Byzantine period the city underwent significant changes and some of the Roman buildings were replaced by or reused for new constructions. A church was built on the forum and the triumphal arch for Macrinus got integrated into a small fort. In the second half of the 7th century the city was captured by the expanding Arab empire.
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