Biskra (; ; Latin Vescera) is the capital city of Biskra Province, Algeria. In 2007, its population was recorded as 307,987. Biskra is located in northeastern Algeria, about from Algiers, southwest of Batna and north of Touggourt. It is nicknamed "The Queen of the Zibans", "The Door of the Desert" or "The Saharan Nice" because of its location at the beginning of the Sahara Desert. Due to its geographical location, its climate and natural resources, particularly farming, Biskra has always been a crossroad between the cities in the north and south. It has seen the passage of several civilizations, from the Romans and the Arabs to the French. In 1844, Biskra became a French garrison, which saw fighting during rebellions in 1849 and 1871. Currently the city of Biskra has 28 neighborhoods, including the three principal neighborhoods of Korra, City 60 Logements, and Equipment Zones. It is in the southern part of the Algerian rail system, and has become a popular winter resort. Etymology The city has been known by many names, including Biskra, Sokkra, Vescra, Vecera, Vescera, Adbesran. Historians do not agree on the origins of the current name. Some say its name comes from "Vescera", which means "station" or "place" of commercial exchange, due to its location connecting north and south. The Roman leader Betolimih Benyouba named it "the river of destiny" because of the Sidi Zarzour (its current name) that crosses the city. Some researchers say that its name was derived from the ancient Roman name "Adebesran" because of the geothermal source that is located near the city, known as Salhine Hammam. Other sources say that the name comes from the word "Sokkra" because of the quality of the sweet dates in the city's oases. Still others claim that the current name was given to the city by the Carthaginians. In honor of the city, the name was given to an oasis, Biskra Palms, near Palm Springs, California. History Gaetuli The Gaetuli first appeared in North Africa during the 3rd millennium BC. They settled in a large territory south of the Roman provinces of Africa and Mauritania. The Genset, a direct descendant of the branch of the Capesian civilization that migrated to the Sahara around 3000 BC, dominated Algeria during 1500 years of its antiquity. According to the Greek historian Strabo, they were the most numerous people of North Africa yet the least known. Among the oldest