From the suburb near the station we enter the town through the Porte de Constantine. Near the Porte d’Alger, in the Place Nationale, adorned with a fountain, rise the Hôtel de Ville and the new Mosque. In the Jardin d’Orléans, outside the Porte d’Alger, are a few Roman antiquities (altars, tombstones, etc.). The old Byzantine fortress with its eleven towers, to the N. of the town, has been converted into the Quartier Militaire. Outside the Porte de Biskra, where the Marché Arabe is held daily, lies a large Berber Village with thatched houses.
On the old Roman road to Saldæ (Bougie), which runs past the E. side of the Jardin d’Orléans (see above), about 1 M. to the N.W. of the town, rises the Mausolée de Sétif (popularly called Tombeau de Scipion), a rectangular edifice, 10 by 8 yds., on a basement with two steps, one of the best-preserved Roman tombs in Algeria.
From Sétif through the Chabet el-Akra to Bougie, see R. 42.
The region between Sétif and El-Guerrah is one of the dreariest in Algeria. 200 M. Chasseloup-Laubat (3445 ft.).
210½ M. St. Arnaud (3117 ft.; Hôt, de la Gare, poor), a small town of 2100 inhab., on the N. border of the barren Plaine des Eulmas, with its small salt-lakes, continued to the N.E. by the Plateau des Sbakh (p. [274]).
The Excursion to Djemila, 19 M. to the N. of St. Arnaud, toilsome but very repaying, is best made in one day, as there are no good night-quarters on the route. We start very early, by mule, carrying a supply of food. We follow the highroad to Sillègue (diligence in the aft.) as far as the (12 M.) crossing of the bridle-path from Sétif, and ride thence to the N.E. in about 2 hrs. to Djemila, a poor Berber village on a narrow and lofty plateau amid barren mountains. This was once the Roman Cuicul, whose ruins, partially excavated of late, are the finest memorials in Algeria of the late-Roman epoch. The W. entrance to the forum was the Arch of Caracalla, a single gateway 40 ft. high, of the year 216, recently marred by a buttress for its support. On the S.E. side of the forum is a Temple, of which part of the peribolos (55 by 37 yds.) and the walls of the cella alone survive. To the N.W. of the forum are remains of a Fountain. In the S.W. part of the ancient town are the ruins of Thermae. The *Theatre, which originally had 24 tiers of seats, is remarkable for its well-preserved stage, 37 by 8 yds., and still 19 ft. in height, the front-wall being similar to that of Timgad (p. [293]) or of Khamissa, etc.
220 M. Navarin (3170 ft.; Arabic Bîr el-Arkh); 228 M. St. Donat (2812 ft.), on the Rhumel (p. [297]).
239 M. Mechta-Châteaudun, station for Châteaudun-du-Rhumel (2625 ft.), a small town 5½ M. to the N., on the Sétif and Constantine road, with a great Thursday cattle-market. Near it are extensive pastures, enlivened in summer by thousands of Sahara nomads with their herds of camels.
250½ M. Oued-Séguin-Télergma (2480 ft.), in the Plaine de Télergma, where the neighbouring garrisons have their summer training. It is the station for (5½ M.) the little town of Oued-Séguin (2474 ft.), on the river of that name, a tributary of the Rhumel, and for Oued-Athménia, with the splendid thermæ of the Roman villa of Pompeianus, and Aïn-Smara, with its marble quarries, two villages on the Sétif and Constantine road.
265½ M. El-Guerrah (2412 ft.; Rail. Restaurant; Hôt. de la Gare, R. 3, D. 3½ fr., quite good), junction of the line from Constantine to Batna and Biskra (R. 44), lies on the Garah or Guerrah, one of the sources of the Oued Bou Merzoug (see below). The station occupies an isolated site on a steppe enclosed by barren mountains. Extensive view to the S.W. towards Batna.