Bulla Regia
About 170 km away from Tunis is the ancient site of Bulla Regia. That day we had already visited Dougga, widely regarded as Tunisia's best Roman site. Although Dougga's sheer size could not be matched, the site of Bulla Regia had some features that distinguished it from other sites I had seen. In fact, Bulla Regia's most impressive portions lay underground. To escape the summer heat, the Romans built their villas here one story above ground and another below.
One of the few above-ground buildings remaining are the Memmian Baths, named after Julia Memmia, wife of Emperor Septimius Severus. Most of the buildings date back to the reign of the Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD). In both the House of Fishing and House of the Hunt were an underground level. As we went down the stairs, our tour guide (who spoke loud, broken English) told us that those terra cotta openings (about the width of a drinking glass) were air conditioning vents. Imagine that the Romans enjoyed air conditioning nearly 2,000 years ago! Even though it wasn't warm outside, a definite difference of temperature was noted in the lower level. In the House of the Hunt, an elegant central courtyard was the focal point, providing light and welcomed air. Around the perimeter of the courtyard were large entertainment areas, several with well-preserved mosaics. In several of these buildings were mosaics left in-situ. In the House of the Amphitrite is a beautifully preserved mosaic of Venus and a cupid riding dolphins. My favorite mosaic was the Triumph of Venus. Like other mosaics, this one's true brilliance were revealed with sprinkled water. Although I had viewed many mosaics from the Bulla Regia site at the Bardo Museum, it sure added extra meaning to see some mosaics still in their original places.
Moving onward, we were led to the small, but well-preserved theatre. On the stage was a well-preserved mosaic of a bear. Near that was a small hole. Our guide demonstrated that this hole acted as an amplifier when speaking - an ancient microphone.
In addition to the Roman buildings, remnants of the Byzantine occupation of the area also exist. Recently excavated was a beautiful font covered with mosaics. About a stone's throw away was a girl tending her sheep which likely grazed on top of more ruins yet to be discovered. |
