| |
|
|
|
 Introduction
Known by the Romans as Thygga, Dougga is one of Tunisia's premiere and
well-preserved archaeological sites. The site of Dougga, with its numerous
temples, dominates a hilltop of this lush region. At the height of its
prosperity around the 2-3rd centuries AD, Dougga only had around 5,000
inhabitants. The number of temples and other important buildings suggests
that the city was of great significance and likely was inhabited by Numidian
princes.
The Capitol
Built in 166 or 167 AD, the Capitol, dedicated to the gods Jove, Juno
and Minerva, rises high above all the other buildings.
Theatre
The well-preserved theatre, built around 168 AD, was offered to the city
by a rich notable.
September 2002 Travelogue
Tunisian Landscape
After living in the capital city of Tunisia
for a month, today would be my first time out of the city and its sprawling
suburbs. Our destination was Dougga; site of some of the most splendid
Roman ruins as well as some earlier Punic funerary chambers. Like many
destinations in Tunisia, the distance was short enough to make this a
nice day trip.
Driving past the modern capital and its many suburbs, traffic lessened
and the concrete buildings gave way to the rolling hills of the Tunisian
rural setting. Farmers plowed their fields, preparing the sandy brown
soil for planting. In other fields, irrigation equipment provided water
during dry spells. Groves of olive trees dotted the landscape, providing
a life-presenting green respite from the neutral tones of soil and rocks.
Along the road, one could catch a glimpse of workers placing picked olives
in large sacks. Roadside stands displayed the area's fresh picks including
pomegranates, watermelons, cactus fruit, tomatoes and plump bunches of
green grapes. Occasionally we would pass a horse-driven cart or small
groups of uniformed children walking home from school for lunch. After
about an hour and a half ride, we caught glimpses of temple columns as
the winding road neared the top of the steep hill.
Theatre
Grabbing our picnic lunch, we headed towards the well-preserved
theatre, built in 168-169 AD. Walking about halfway up the theatre's flight
of stairs and determining that the view was pleasant, we ate our lunch.
The strong midday sun cast linear shadows of the theatre's slender columns.
Capitol
Through the negative space framed by the
columns, the magnificent Capitol could be seen in the distance. The paved
Roman road composed of large flat stone arranged in an opposing diagonal
pattern led past remains of homes directly to the golden colored Capitol. Immense fluted columns rose 8 meters high, supporting an engraved architrave.
On the pediment, a bas-relief of a man being carried off by an eagle remained
partly visible.  A
blue sky began emerging through the clouds as I peered through the space
once occupied by a grand roof. In the back room of the Capitol, large
numbered stones containing inscriptions or carvings lined the periphery.
Other Areas
As we meandered down the steep slope towards the Temple of the Victory
of Caracalla, we were attracted to the portions of mosaic floors in some
of the closely spaced homes. Sprinkling water on the mosaics revealed
the bright colors of the floor designs, each unique. Some of the more
spectacular mosaics now reside in the Bardo Museum in Tunis. At the Temple,
a mortar-less arch rose above two tall, slender columns. In another section,
the vaulted stone ceiling reminded me of some cathedrals I had visited
in Europe. Around the same area, we visited the baths via an underground
tunnel, a small forum, and a well-preserved public latrine with twelve
holes.
Exploring in another direction, we meandered down another Roman paved
street. Here, the loose ground rose quite high above the street level.
Fragments of pottery, oil lamps, and other items could be spotted. In
another area, the loose ground revealed a fossilized shell as I proceeded
down the steep slope. In some areas, indications revealed that there were
levels of buildings still buried. Imagine what treasures still lie buried
beneath the surface! Tired from the heat of the strong sun, we headed
towards the car. As we headed down the winding road of the hill, we paused
to let several sheep slowly stroll across the road to the flock. Groves
of olive trees provided a little shade for the shepherd from the sun.
In some ways, how much has really changed over the centuries?
On the way back, Theresa, the director's wife, decided to take a different
route so we could see the Roman aqueducts that carried water all the way
to Carthage, a distance of 123 km. Along the way, we saw an unmarked structure,
similar in style to the Punic funerary chambers in Dougga. Near the town
of Oudna, the Zaghouan Aqueduct was spotted. The impressive structure,
dating back to 120 AD, varied considerably along the route. It curved
in some sections, rising in some places to quite a height. At other times,
it appeared to play hide-and-seek, with the arches appearing at ground
level and then seems to disappear, where the conduit is carried underground.
About 30 km later, multi-level buildings began replacing the open landscape.
Instead of spotting cattle or sheep, groups of people could be seen carrying
out commerce or chatting at streetside cafés. In the distance was
the capital city. Our day journey had come to a close.
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Spring flowers Arcy of Septimus Severus ( built 205 AD)
|
Melissa by the arch (Capitol in distance)
|
Olive trees, some nearly 3,000 years old, dot
the landscape |
| |
|
|
 |
 |
 |
Temple of Concord |
Carved statues can be found around the site
|
|
See other Roman sites in Tunisia
Bulla Regia
|
|
|
