The etymology of the word "Mustaghanim" has no clear explanation given by historians Arab geographers, however, several attempts at explanation are variously conserved among local populations. "Mustaghanim" is composed of two distinct terms, but there are several meanings of the two terms :
Machta station (winter) and Ghanem (rich sheep farmer).
Marsa and Ranem , which means wearing booty.
Ghanem el Misk , which means abundance of flocks.
Finally, some historians of antiquity, it is rather a Roman port Murustaga that its etymology should Mostaganem
History
Antiquity
The site is occupied by the Phoenicians . Punic port name Murustaga, the city was rebuilt by the Romans who gave at the time of Gallienus ( 260 - 268 ), the name of Cartenna.The site seems to have been occupied during the Middle Ages .
Period Berber
Ottoman map of XVIII century depicting the Algerian side region of Mostaganem and Oran.
Mostaganem region was home to the tribes Zenetes of Maghraoua during the Middle Ages , it was one of the cities of this confederation whose territory the Dahra . In 1082 , Prince Almoravid Ibn Youssef Tachfin built a fort called "Borj El-Mehal", the ancient citadel of Mostaganem. The city belonged subsequently to Zyanides of Tlemcen and Merinids of Fez
The city has continued to grow and to adorn monuments, she acquired the reputation as a city of knowledge with an intense mystical life, as evidenced by the many shrines . The city is mentioned by Al Idrissi : "small town at the bottom of a golf course, has bazaars, baths, gardens and plenty of water. "
Ottoman period
In 1511 , the Spanish inhabitants of Mostaganem imposed a treaty of capitulation. To prevent this occupation the Ottomans took the city in 1516 .After many years of resistance, the people appealed to
