The city witnessed a theologically turbulent period in the history of the church.

Saint Augustine, whose feast day is today, August 28, is most associated with Hippo Regius, the ancient name of the modern city of Annaba in Algeria. But long before his ancient episcopal office, Augustine came from a now long-vanished town just a few dozen miles from this city – a place where there is still at least one landmark commonly associated with the venerated saint.

Augustine was born to Saint Monica in the town of Thagaste, a Berber village which, according to historians, is located in the middle of a dense forest area.

Like many smaller cities of antiquity, most of the city’s details have been lost to history, but it was evidently important enough to warrant a mention in Pliny the Elder. Natural History, The Roman historian counted it among the “free cities” of the region.

Rebecca Denova, a professor of religious studies at the University of Pittsburgh, said that before Augustine’s birth, the area was part of the Numidian Kingdom, which included the Berber tribes into which Augustine was born.

“Then the Romans conquered Numidia and began to colonize the area for its grain and olive plantations,” Denova said. “At the same time, Roman businessmen settled in the area.”

According to Denova, Augustine adopted this “Romanization” even though “his communities also included the natives.”

Jim O’Donnell, university librarian at Arizona State University and a well-known Augustine scholar, told CNA that Thagaste is “not a great historical site.” The city, he said, was probably founded in the second century, several hundred years before Augustine’s birth.

The city witnessed a turbulent theological period in the history of the church. “Until 347, the city’s Christian church was controlled by the Donatist faction. At this point, an imperial commissioner traveled with soldiers through North Africa and forced the churches to abandon their Donatist loyalty and enter into communion with the Caecilianist faction.”

The Donatists were a heretical sect of Christianity led by the apostate bishop Donatus. The group falsely claimed that clergy had to be in a state of grace to validly administer the sacraments. The scandalous doctrine was opposed by the Caecilianist faction – named after the Carthaginian bishop Caecilianus – and the latter group, according to O’Donnell, was eventually labelled “Catholic” by Augustine himself.

“This is important because Monica grew up there and gave birth to Augustine seven years after this ‘conversion’ – so she undoubtedly grew up among the Donatists,” he said.

Monica “obviously became loyal to the new church leadership,” O’Donnell noted, “and of course Augustine became a leader of that faction.”

Alypius, a close friend of Augustine, became Bishop of Thagaste a few years after both men converted to Christianity.

Seventeen centuries later, this diocese still exists in its titular form; the papal nuncio Ivo Scapolo currently serves as Titular Archbishop of Thagaste.

Centuries of war, weather and regime change have erased most traces of Thagaste. The modern-day Algerian town of Souk Ahras now stands on the site of Augustine’s hometown.

The local Thagaste Bridge testifies to the town’s ancient history and nearby ancient ruins provide evidence of Roman rule in past centuries.

Perhaps most impressive is the huge olive tree in the center of the city, under which, according to legend, Augustine often sat and meditated. Some traditions claim that Augustine planted the tree himself.

Because of its connection to the great bishop, pilgrims regularly visit this place, although the historical accuracy of these claims is uncertain.

“(It’s) totally unlikely,” O’Donnell said, “but intriguing.”

Saint Augustine is the patron saint of printers, theologians, brewers and philosophers. He was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Boniface VIII in 1298.