Maxula

Maxula (Μαξοῦλα, Ptol. 4.3.7), a Roman colonia (Maxulla, Plin. Nat. 5.3), about the exact distance of which from Carthage there is a considerable discrepancy in the Itineraries (Anton. Itin.; Peut. Tab.). From an expression of Victor Vitensis (de Persecut. Vandal. 1.5.6), who calls it Ligula, a tongue of land, its position was probably on the coast, between R‘âdes and Hammâm-el-Euf, where there are the remains of a Roman road.

The Coast-describer (Stadiasm.) speaks of the harbour and town of Maxyla as 20 stadia from CRAPIS, or the modern Garbos: this was probably different from the former, and is the modern Mrîsa, where there are the remains of a town and harbour. (Shaw, Trav. p. 157; Barth, Wanderungen, p. 128.) As connected with the gentile epithet Maxyes or Mazyes, it is likely that there were several places of this name. Ptolemy (4.3.34) has MAXULA VETUS (Μάξουλα Πάλαια), and the Antonine Itinerary a station which it describes as MAXULA PRATES, 20 M. P. from Carthage. It is found in the Notitia, and was famous in the annals of Martyrology (Augustin, Serm. c. lxxxiii; Morcelli, Africa Christiana, vol. i. p. 220.)

[E.B.J]