"Geography" (vol. IV, iii, 7), the city is mentioned under the name of Mileum. During the Roman era, it was called Colonia Sarnensis Milevitana, after the River Sarnus in Campania (southern Italy), whence the colonists had emigrated. This name is often found in the inscriptions of the city.

Together with Cirta, Collo and Rusicade,