Constantine (, , also spelled
Qacentina or
Kasantina, Arabic:
Blad el-Hawa) is the capital of
Constantine Province in north-eastern
Algeria. During
Roman times it was called
Cirta and was renamed "Constantina" in honor of emperor
Constantine the Great. It was the capital of the same-named
French département until 1962. Slightly inland, it is about from the Mediterranean coast, on the banks of the Rhumel river.