El Gahra (or Kherbet-el-Gahra) is situated about 70km south-east of Bou-Saada, on the Oued Chaïr, which means "barley wadi", reflecting the agricultural interest of the surrounding area, which was the same in ancient times. The Roman settlement overlooked a passage between the Hodna and the Sahara via the Aïn Rich plain and the valley of the Oued Chaïr, between the Ouled-Naïl and Zab mountains. It was easy to reach the Sahara via Aïn-Kahla, to the west via Aïn-Melah and Aïn-Ograb, and finally to the north via Bou-Saada. The site was well chosen, as the perennial and fairly abundant Chair wadi had to cross a series of waterfalls through a series of almost vertical rock strata.
—Laporte (2009) Trois sites militaires sévériens en Algérie monyenne : Grimidi, Tarmount (Aras), El Gahra
Brothers active in El-Gahra
Mithraic monuments of El-Gahra
Altar by Florus from El Gahara
This altar is dedicated to the god Sol Invictus Mithras by a certain Florus, a veteran of the Legio III Augusta.
CIMRM 153
Inscriptions of El-Gahra
References
- Epigraphic Database Heidelberg. Altar by Florus from El Gahara in EDH
- Epigraphik-Datenbank Clauss / Slaby. Altar by Florus from El Gahara in EDCS
- Jean-Pierre Laporte (2009) Trois sites militaires séveriens en Algérie moyenne : Gimidi, Tarmount (Aras), El Gahra