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Dougga or Thugga or TBGG (; ) was a
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
, Punic and
Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...
settlement near present-day
Téboursouk Téboursouk ( ') is a town and commune in the Béja Governorate, Tunisia. It is located at 36° 27′ 26″N, 009° 14′ 54″E. Population In 2004 it had a total population of 10,987,Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
. The current
archaeological site An archaeological site is a place (or group of physical sites) in which evidence of past activity is preserved (either prehistoric or recorded history, historic or contemporary), and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline ...
covers .
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
qualified Dougga as a
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
in 1997, believing that it represents "the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa". The site, which lies in the middle of the countryside, has been protected from the encroachment of modern urbanization, in contrast, for example, to
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
, which has been pillaged and rebuilt on numerous occasions. Dougga's size, its well-preserved monuments and its rich
Numidia Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...
n-
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
,
Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...
,
ancient Roman In modern historiography, ancient Rome is the Roman people, Roman civilisation from the founding of Rome, founding of the Italian city of Rome in the 8th century BC to the Fall of the Western Roman Empire, collapse of the Western Roman Em ...
, and
Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...
history make it exceptional. Amongst the most famous monuments at the site are a Libyco-Punic Mausoleum, the Capitol, the Roman theatre, and the temples of
Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant, with an average radius of about 9 times that of Earth. It has an eighth the average density of Earth, but is over 95 tim ...
and of Juno Caelestis.


Names

The
Numidian Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...
name of the settlement was recorded in the
Libyco-Berber alphabet The Libyco-Berber alphabet is an abjad writing system that was used during the first millennium BC by various Berbers, Berber peoples of North Africa and the Canary Islands, to write ancient varieties of the Berber language like the Numidian lang ...
as TBGG. The
Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...
name of the settlement is recorded as () and (). The Root B GG in Phoenician means ("in the roof terrace").
Camps Camps may refer to: People *Ramón Camps (1927–1994), Argentine general *Gabriel Camps (1927–2002), French historian *Luís Espinal Camps (1932–1980), Spanish missionary to Bolivia *Victoria Camps (b. 1941), Spanish philosopher and professor ...
states that this may represent a borrowing of a
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
word derived from the root ("to protect").Gabriel Camps, « Dougga », ''L'Encyclopédie berbère'', tome XVI, éd. Edisud, Aix-en-Provence, 1992, p. 2522 This evidently derives from the site's position atop an easily defensible
plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; : plateaus or plateaux), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. ...
. The name was borrowed into
Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
as Thugga. Once it was granted "free status", it was formally refounded and known as '; "Septimium" and "Aurelium" are references to the "new" town's "founders" ('),
Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...
and M. Aurelius Antoninus (i.e.,
Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname Caracalla (; ), was Roman emperor from 198 to 217 AD, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father and then r ...
). For treatment of ', see below. Once Dougga received the status of a Roman colony, it was formally known as '. In present-day
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
, it is known as either ''Dugga'' or ''Tugga''. That was borrowed into or and Dougga is a
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
transcription of this Arabic name.


Location

The archaeological site is located SSW of the modern town of
Téboursouk Téboursouk ( ') is a town and commune in the Béja Governorate, Tunisia. It is located at 36° 27′ 26″N, 009° 14′ 54″E. Population In 2004 it had a total population of 10,987,Fossa Regia The Fossa Regia, also called the ''Fosse Scipio'', was the first part of the Borders of the Roman Empire#The southern borders, Limes Africanus to be built in Roman Africa (Roman province), Africa. It was used to divide the Berbers, Berber kingdom o ...
, a ditch and boundary made by the Romans after the destruction of Carthage, indicates Dougga's position as a point of contact between the
Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...
and
Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...
worlds.


History

Dougga's history is best known from the time of the Roman conquest, even though numerous pre-Roman monuments, including a
necropolis A necropolis (: necropolises, necropoles, necropoleis, necropoli) is a large, designed cemetery with elaborate tomb monuments. The name stems from the Ancient Greek ''nekropolis'' (). The term usually implies a separate burial site at a distan ...
, a
mausoleum A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the burial chamber of a deceased person or people. A mausoleum without the person's remains is called a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type o ...
, and several
temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
s have been discovered during archaeological digs. These monuments are an indication of the site's importance before the arrival of the Romans.


Berber Kingdom

The city appears to have been founded in the 6th century BC.Mustapha Khanoussi, « L'évolution urbaine de Thugga (Dougga) en Afrique proconsulaire : de l'agglomération numide à la ville africo-romaine », ''CRAI'', 2003, pp. 131-155 Some historians believe that Dougga is the city of Tocae (, ''Tokaí''), which was captured by a lieutenant of
Agathocles Agathocles ( Greek: ) is a Greek name. The most famous person called Agathocles was Agathocles of Syracuse, the tyrant of Syracuse. The name is derived from and . Other people named Agathocles include: *Agathocles, a sophist, teacher of Damon ...
of
Syracuse Syracuse most commonly refers to: * Syracuse, Sicily, Italy; in the province of Syracuse * Syracuse, New York, USA; in the Syracuse metropolitan area Syracuse may also refer to: Places * Syracuse railway station (disambiguation) Italy * Provi ...
at the end of the 4th centuryBC;
Diodorus of Sicily Diodorus Siculus or Diodorus of Sicily (;  1st century BC) was an ancient Greek historian from Sicily. He is known for writing the monumental universal history ''Bibliotheca historica'', in forty books, fifteen of which survive intact, bet ...
described Tocae as "a city of beautiful grandeur". Dougga was in any case an early and important human settlement. Its urban character is evidenced by the presence of a necropolis with
dolmen A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...
s, the most ancient archaeological find at Dougga, a sanctuary dedicated to
Ba'al Hammon Baal Hammon, properly Baʿal Ḥamon ( Phoenician and ), meaning "Lord Hammon", was the chief god of ancient Carthage. He was a weather god considered responsible for the fertility of vegetation and esteemed as king of the gods. He was depicte ...
, neo-Punic
stele A stele ( ) or stela ( )The plural in English is sometimes stelai ( ) based on direct transliteration of the Greek, sometimes stelae or stelæ ( ) based on the inflection of Greek nouns in Latin, and sometimes anglicized to steles ( ) or stela ...
s, a mausoleum, architectural fragments, and a temple dedicated to
Masinissa Masinissa (''c.'' 238 BC – 148 BC), also spelled Massinissa, Massena and Massan, was an ancient Numidian king best known for leading a federation of Massylii Berber tribes during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), ultimately uniting the ...
, the remains of which were found during archaeological excavations. Even though our knowledge of the city before the Roman conquest remains very limited, recent archaeological finds have revolutionized the image that we had of this period. The identification of the temple dedicated to Masinissa beneath the
forum Forum or The Forum may refer to: Common uses *Forum (legal), designated space for public expression in the United States *Forum (Roman), open public space within a Roman city **Roman Forum, most famous example * Internet forum, discussion board ...
disproved Louis Poinssot's theory that the Numidian city stood on the plateau but that it was separate from the newer Roman settlement. The temple, which was erected in the tenth year of
Micipsa Micipsa ( Numidian: ''Mikiwsan''; , ; died BC) was the eldest legitimate son of Masinissa, the King of Numidia, a Berber kingdom in North Africa. Micipsa became the King of Numidia in 148 BC. Early life In 151 BC, Masinissa sent Micipsa and his ...
's reign (139BC), is wide. It proves that the area around the forum was already built upon before the arrival of the Roman colonists. A building dating to the 2nd centuryBC has also been discovered nearby. Similarly, Dougga's mausoleum is not isolated but stands within an urban necropolis. Recent finds have disproved earlier theories about the so-called "Numidian walls". The walls around Dougga are in fact not Numidian; they are part of the city's fortifications erected in
late antiquity Late antiquity marks the period that comes after the end of classical antiquity and stretches into the onset of the Early Middle Ages. Late antiquity as a period was popularized by Peter Brown (historian), Peter Brown in 1971, and this periodiza ...
. Targeted digs have also proven that what had been interpreted as two Numidian towers in the walls are in fact two funeral monuments from the Numidian era reused much later as foundations and a section of defences. The discovery of Libyan and Punic inscriptions at the site provoked a debate on the administration of the city at the time of the Kingdom of
Numidia Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...
. The debateabout the interpretation of
epigraphic Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
sourcesfocussed on the question of whether the city was still under Punic influence or whether it was increasingly Berber. Local Berber institutions distinct from any form of Punic authority arose from the Numidian period onwards, but
Camps Camps may refer to: People *Ramón Camps (1927–1994), Argentine general *Gabriel Camps (1927–2002), French historian *Luís Espinal Camps (1932–1980), Spanish missionary to Bolivia *Victoria Camps (b. 1941), Spanish philosopher and professor ...
notes that Punic shofets were still in place in several cities, including Dougga, during the Roman era, which is a sign of continuing Punic influence and the preservation of certain elements of Punic civilization well after the fall of Carthage.


Roman Empire

The Romans granted Dougga the status of an indigenous city () following their conquest of the region. The creation of the
colony A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule, which rules the territory and its indigenous peoples separated from the foreign rulers, the colonizer, and their ''metropole'' (or "mother country"). This separated rule was often orga ...
of
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
during the reign of
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
complicated Dougga's institutional status. The city was included in the territory (''pertica'') of the Roman colony, but around this time, a
community A community is a social unit (a group of people) with a shared socially-significant characteristic, such as place, set of norms, culture, religion, values, customs, or identity. Communities may share a sense of place situated in a given g ...
(') of Roman colonists also arose alongside the existing settlement. For two centuries, the site was thus governed by two civic and institutional bodies: the city with its
peregrini In the early Roman Empire, from 30 BC to AD 212, a ''peregrinus'' () was a free provincial subject of the Empire who was not a Roman citizen. ''Peregrini'' constituted the vast majority of the Empire's inhabitants in the 1st and 2nd centuries AD. ...
and the ' with its
Roman citizens Citizenship in ancient Rome () was a privileged political and legal status afforded to free individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance. Citizenship in ancient Rome was complex and based upon many different laws, traditions, and cu ...
. Both had Roman civic institutions: magistrates and a council (') of decurions for the city, a local council from the end of the 1st centuryAD, and local administrators for the ', who were legally subordinated to the distant but powerful colony of Carthage. In addition, epigraphic evidence indicates that a
Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...
-style dual magistracy, the ''
sufet In several ancient Semitic-speaking cultures and associated historical regions, the shopheṭ or shofeṭ (plural shophetim or shofetim; , , , the last loaned into Latin as sūfes; see also ) was a community leader of significant civic stature, o ...
es'', achieved some civic stature here well into the imperial period. In fact, the city once had three magistrates serve at once, a relative rarity in the Mediterranean. Over time, the
romanization In linguistics, romanization is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Latin script, Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, and tra ...
of the city brought the two communities closer together. Notable members of the ' increasingly adopted Roman culture and behavior, became Roman citizens, and the councils of the two communities began to take decisions in unison. The increasing closeness of the communities was facilitated at first by their geographic proximitythere was no physical distinction between their two settlementsand then later by institutional arrangements. During the reign of
Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...
, the city was granted
Roman law Roman law is the law, legal system of ancient Rome, including the legal developments spanning over a thousand years of jurisprudence, from the Twelve Tables (), to the (AD 529) ordered by Eastern Roman emperor Justinian I. Roman law also den ...
; from this moment onward, the magistrates automatically received
Roman citizenship Citizenship in ancient Rome () was a privileged political and legal status afforded to free individuals with respect to laws, property, and governance. Citizenship in ancient Rome was complex and based upon many different laws, traditions, and cu ...
and the rights of the city's inhabitants became similar to those of the Roman citizens. During the same era, the ' won a certain degree of autonomy from Carthage; it was able to receive bequests and administer public funds. Nonetheless, it was not until AD205, during the reign of
Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...
, that the two communities came together as one
municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...
('), made "free" (see below) while Carthage's ' was reduced. The city was supported by the
euergetism Euergetism (or evergetism, from the Greek , "do good deeds") was the ancient practice of high-status and wealthy individuals in society distributing part of their wealth to the community. This practice was also part of the patron-client relatio ...
of its great families of wealthy individuals, which sometimes reached exorbitant levels, while its interests were successfully represented by appeals to the
emperors The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife ( empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/ grand empress dowager), or a woman who rule ...
. Dougga's development culminated during the reign of
Gallienus Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (; – September 268) was Roman emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260 and alone from 260 to 268. He ruled during the Crisis of the Third Century that nearly caused the collapse of the empire. He ...
, when it obtained the status of a separate
Roman colony A Roman (: ) was originally a settlement of Roman citizens, establishing a Roman outpost in federated or conquered territory, for the purpose of securing it. Eventually, however, the term came to denote the highest status of a Roman city. It ...
. Dougga's monuments attest to its prosperity in the period from the reign of
Diocletian Diocletian ( ; ; ; 242/245 – 311/312), nicknamed Jovius, was Roman emperor from 284 until his abdication in 305. He was born Diocles to a family of low status in the Roman province of Dalmatia (Roman province), Dalmatia. As with other Illyri ...
to that of Collectif, ''L'Afrique romaine. 69-439'', p. 310 but it fell into a sort of stupor from the 4th century. The city appears to have experienced an early decline, as evidenced by the relatively poor remains of
Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...
. The period of Byzantine rule saw the area around the forum transformed into a fort; several important buildings were destroyed in order to provide the necessary materials for its construction.


Caliphate

Dougga was never completely abandoned following the Muslim invasions of the area. For a long time, Dougga remained the site of a small village populated by the descendants of the city's former inhabitants, as evidenced by the small
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
situated in the Temple of August Piety and the small bath dating to the Aghlabid period on the southern flank of the forum.


Archaeological work

The first Western visitors to have left eyewitness accounts of the ruins reached the site in the 17th century. This trend continued in the 18th century and at the start of the 19th century.Exploration et collections du site de Dougga (Strabon)
/ref> The best-preserved monuments, including the mausoleum, were described and, at the end of this period, were the object of architectural studies. The establishment of
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
's Tunisian protectorate in 1881 led to the creation of a national antiquities institute (), for which the excavation of the site at Dougga was a priority from 1901, parallel to the works carried out at
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
. The works at Dougga concentrated at first on the area around the forum; other discoveries ensured that there was an almost constant series of digs at the site until 1939. Alongside these excavations, work was conducted to restore the capitol, of which only the front and the base of the wall of the cella were still standing, and to restore the mausoleum, particularly between 1908 and 1910 . After Tunisia's independence, other buildings were excavated, including the Temple of Caracalla's Victory in Germany. During the same period, the last inhabitants of the site were evicted and relocated to a village located on the plain several kilometers from the antique site, which is named In 1991, the decision was taken to make the site into a national archaeological park. A cooperative scientific programme aims in particular to promote the study of the inscriptions at the site and the pagan temples. In 1997, Dougga was added to the
UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
list of
World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...
s. Despite its importance and its exceptional state, Dougga remains off the beaten track for many tourists and receives only about 50,000 visitors per year. In order to make it more attractive, the construction of an on-site museum is being considered, while the national antiquities institute has established a website presenting the site and the surrounding region. For the time being, visitors with sufficient time can appreciate Dougga, not only because of its many ruins but also for its olive groves, which give the site a unique ambiance.


Dougga's "Liberty"

From AD205, when the city (') and community (') fused into one municipality ('), Dougga bore the title ''liberum'', whose significance is not immediately clear. The term appears in the titles of a certain number of other ' also founded at the same time: Thibursicum Bure, Aulodes, and
Thysdrus Thysdrus was a Carthaginian town and Roman colony near present-day El Djem, Tunisia. Under the Romans, it was the center of olive oil production in the provinces of Africa and Byzacena and was quite prosperous. The surviving amphitheater is a W ...
. Several interpretations of its meaning have been suggested.
Claude Lepelley Claude Lepelley (8 February 1934 – 31 January 2015
on DRACONTIUS) was a 20th-21st-century F ...
, « Thugga au IIIe siècle : la défense de la liberté », ''Dougga (Thugga). Études épigraphiques'', éd. Ausonius, Bordeaux, 1997, pp. 105-114, also available in Claude Lepelley, ''Aspects de l'Afrique romaine : les cités, la vie rurale, le christianisme'', éd. Edipuglia, Bari, 2001, pp. 69-81
According to
Merlin The Multi-Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network (MERLIN) is an interferometer array of radio telescopes spread across England. The array is run from Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire by the University of Manchester on behalf of UK Re ...
and Poinssot, the term derives from the name of the god
Liber In Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion and Roman mythology, mythology, Liber ( , ; "the free one"), also known as Liber Pater ("the free Father"), was a god of viticulture and wine, male fertility and freedom. He was a patron de ...
, in whose honor a temple was erected at Dougga. The epithet ''Liberum'' would thus follow the same pattern as ' and ', which appear in the title of Thibursicum Bure. Thibursicum Bure is however an exception to the rule; the titles of the other ' including the term ' do not include the names of any divinities, and this hypothesis has therefore been abandoned. Alternatively, ' is taken as a reference to free status (', "liberty"). This interpretation is confirmed by an inscription found at Dougga that honors
Alexander Severus Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – March 235), also known as Alexander Severus, was Roman emperor from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. Alexander took power in 222, when he succeeded his slain co ...
as the "preserver of liberty" ('). It is, however, unclear exactly what form this liberty took.
Toutain Toutain is a French surname of Norman origin, itself from Old Norse '' Þórsteinn''. Albert Dauzat, ''Noms et prénoms de France'', Librairie Larousse 1980, édition revue et commentée par Marie-Thérèse Morlet, p. 572b Notable people with the s ...
is of the opinion that this is a designation for a particular type of 'free cities where the Roman governor did not have the right to control the municipal magistrates. There is however no evidence that Dougga enjoyed exceptional legal privileges of the type associated with certain free cities such as
Aphrodisias Aphrodisias (; ) was a Hellenistic Greek city in the historic Caria cultural region of western Asia Minor, today's Anatolia in Turkey. It is located near the modern village of Geyre, about east/inland from the coast of the Aegean Sea, and s ...
in
Asia Minor Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
. Veyne has thus suggested that Dougga's "freedom" is nothing but an expression of the concept of liberty without any legal meaning; obtaining the status of a ' had freed the city of its subjugation and enabled it to adorn itself with the "ornaments of liberty" ('). The city's liberty was celebrated just as its dignity was extolled; the emperor
Probus Probus may refer to: People * Marcus Valerius Probus (c. 20/30–105 AD), Roman grammarian * Marcus Pomponius Maecius Probus, consul in 228 * Probus (emperor), Roman Emperor (276–282) * Probus of Byzantium (–306), Bishop of Byzantium from 293 t ...
is a "preserver of liberty and dignity" ('). Gascou, in line with Veyne's interpretation, describes the situation thus: "', in ''Thugga''s title, is a term ..with which the city, which had waited a long time for the status of a municipium, is happy to flatter itself". Despite Gascou's conclusion, efforts have been made more recently to identify concrete aspects of Dougga's liberty. Lepelley believes on the one hand that this must be a reference to the relations between the city and
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
and on the other hand that the term can cover a range of diverse privileges of differing degrees. It is known that the territory of Carthage, to which the Dougga ' belonged until AD205, enjoyed such privileges: the inhabitants of the ' even sent an appeal during
Trajan Trajan ( ; born Marcus Ulpius Traianus, 18 September 53) was a Roman emperor from AD 98 to 117, remembered as the second of the Five Good Emperors of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. He was a philanthropic ruler and a successful soldier ...
's reign to defend the fiscal immunity of the territory of Carthage ('). The Dougga ' had not been granted this concession, so the fusion of ' with the ' meant that the citizens of the ' risked losing their enviable privilege. The liberty of the ' founded during the reign of
Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...
could thus be a reference to the fiscal immunity made possible by the region's great wealth and by the emperor's generosity to each ' at the time of its fusion. During the reign of
Gallienus Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (; – September 268) was Roman emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260 and alone from 260 to 268. He ruled during the Crisis of the Third Century that nearly caused the collapse of the empire. He ...
, a certain Aulus Vitellius Felix Honoratus, a well-known individual in Dougga, made an appeal to the emperor "in order to assure the public liberty". Lepelley believes that this is an indication that the city's privilege had been called into question, although Dougga appears to have been at least partially able to preserve its concessions, as evidenced by an inscription to the honor of "Probus, defender of its liberty". According to Christol though, this interpretation overly restricts the meaning of the word '.
Michel Christol Michel Christol (25 October 1942, Castelnau-de-Guers) is a French historian, specialist of ancient Rome, and particularly epigraphy. Biography Born in Herault, Michel Christol attended high school in Béziers then his university studies in Mon ...
, ''Regards sur l'Afrique romaine'', éd. Errance, Paris, 2005, p. 191
In Christol's view, it is important not to forget that the emperor's decision in 205 must have been taken in response to a request made by the ' and must have taken account of the relations that already existed between it and the '. It was the autonomy that the ' had achieved during the reign of
Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...
and the granting of Roman law that raised the specter of a fusion of the two communities, which would without a doubt have provoked a certain unease in the '. The inhabitants of the ' would have expressed "concern or even refusal when faced with the pretensions of their closest neighbors". This would explain the honor that the ' attributed to
Commodus Commodus (; ; 31 August 161 – 31 December 192) was Roman emperor from 177 to 192, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father Marcus Aurelius and then ruling alone from 180. Commodus's sole reign is commonly thought to mark the end o ...
(', "protector of the community"). For Christol, the term ' must be understood in this context and in an abstract sense. This liberty derives from belonging to a city and expresses the end of the 's dependence, "the elevation of a community of peregrini to the liberty of Roman citizenship", which also served to placate the fears of the inhabitants of the ' and to open the door to a later promotion, to the status of a colony. This promotion took place in AD261, during the reign of Gallienus, following an appeal from Aulus Vitellius Felix Honoratus in Christol's version of events. Thereafter, the defence of the ' was not a question of defending a privilege at risk, but of requesting the "ultimate liberty" (')the promotion to the status of a colony. Christol also points out that, despite the abstract character of terms such as ' or ', their formal appearance should be references to concrete and unique events.


General layout

The city as it exists today consists essentially of remains from the Roman era dating for the most part to the 2nd and 3rd century. The Roman builders had to take account both of the site's particularly craggy terrain and of earlier constructions, which led them to abandon the normal layout of Roman settlements,Hédi Slim et Nicolas Fauqué, ''La Tunisie antique. De Hannibal à saint Augustin'', éd. Mengès, Paris, 2001, p. 153 as is also particularly evident in places such as
Timgad Timgad (, known as Marciana Traiana Thamugadi) was a Roman city in the Aurès Mountains of Algeria. It was founded by the Roman Emperor Trajan around 100 AD. The full name of the city was ''Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi''. Emperor ...
. Recent archaeological digs have confirmed the continuity in the city's urban development. The heart of the city has always been at the top of the hill, where the forum replaced the Numidian
agora The agora (; , romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Ancient Greece, Greek polis, city-states. The literal meaning of the word "agora" is "gathering place" or "assembly". The agora was the center ...
. As Dougga developed, urban construction occupied the side of the hill, so that the city must have resembled "a compact mass", according to Hédi Slim Early archaeological digs concentrated on public buildings, which meant that private buildings tended at first to be uncovered at the ends of the trenches dug for this purpose. Later, trenches were cut with the purpose of exposing particularly characteristic private buildings.


Numidian residence

Traces of a residence dating to the Numidian era have been identified in the foundations of the temple dedicated to
Liber In Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion and Roman mythology, mythology, Liber ( , ; "the free one"), also known as Liber Pater ("the free Father"), was a god of viticulture and wine, male fertility and freedom. He was a patron de ...
. Although these traces are very faint, they served to disprove the theories of the first archaeologists, including Louis Poinssot, that the Roman and pre-Roman settlements were located on separate sites. The two settlements evidently overlapped.


The ''trifolium'' villa

This residence, which dates to the 2nd or 3rd century, stands downhill from the quarters that surround the forum and the principal public monuments in the city, in an area where the streets are winding.Jean-Claude Golvin, ''L'antiquité retrouvée'', éd. Errance, Paris, 2003, p. 99 The ''trifolium'' villa, named after a
clover Clovers, also called trefoils, are plants of the genus ''Trifolium'' (), consisting of about 300 species of flowering plants in the legume family Fabaceae originating in Europe. The genus has a cosmopolitan distribution with the highest diversit ...
-shaped room that was without a doubt used as a
triclinium A ''triclinium'' (: ''triclinia'') is a formal dining room in a Ancient Rome, Roman building. The word is adopted from the Greek language, Greek ()—from (), "three", and (), a sort of couch, or rather chaise longue. Each couch was sized to ...
, is the largest private house excavated so far at Dougga. The house had two storeys, but there is almost nothing left of the upper storey. It stands in the south of the city, halfway up the hill. The house is particularly interesting because of the way in which it is built to align with the lay of the land; the entrance hall slopes down to a courtyard around which the various rooms were arranged.


The market

The market dates from the middle of the 1st century. It took the form of a square in size, surrounded by a
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
and shops on two sides. The northern side had a portico, while an
exedra An exedra (: exedras or exedrae) is a semicircular architecture, architectural recess or platform, sometimes crowned by a semi-dome, and either set into a building's façade or free-standing. The original Greek word ''ἐξέδρα'' ('a seat ou ...
occupied the southern side. The exedra probably housed a statue of Mercury.Mustapha Khanoussi, ''Dougga'', p. 27 In order to compensate for the natural incline of the ground on which the market stands, its builders undertook significant earthworks. These earthworks have been dated as being amongst the oldest Roman constructions, and their orientation vis-à-vis the forum seems to suggest that they were not built on any earlier foundations. The modern-day location of the remains from the market near the forum should however not be misunderstood as indicating a link between the two. The market was almost completely destroyed during the construction of the Byzantine fort. It was excavated in 1918–1919.


Licinian Baths

The Licinian Baths are interesting for having much of its original walls intact, as well as a long tunnel used by the slaves working at the baths. The baths were donated to the city by the Licinii family in the 3rd century. They were primarily used as winter baths. The frigidarium has triple arcades at both ends and large windows with views over the valley beyond.


Funerary structures


Dolmens

The presence of
dolmen A dolmen, () or portal tomb, is a type of single-chamber Megalith#Tombs, megalithic tomb, usually consisting of two or more upright megaliths supporting a large flat horizontal capstone or "table". Most date from the Late Neolithic period (4000 ...
s in
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
has served to stoke historiographic debates that have been said to have ideological agendas. The dolmens at Dougga have been the subject of archaeological digs, which have also uncovered skeletons and ceramic models. Although it is difficult to put a date on the erection of the dolmens, as they were in use until the dawn of the Christian era, it seems likely that they date from at least 2000 yearsBC.
Gabriel Camps Gabriel Camps (May 20, 1927 – September 6, 2002) was a French archaeologist and social anthropologist, the founder of the '' Encyclopédie berbère'' and is considered a prestigious scholar on the history of the Berber people. Biography G ...
has suggested that a link to
Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...
. He has made the same suggestion for the "''haouanet''" tombs found in
Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunisia; to Algeria–Libya border, the east by Libya; to Alger ...
and
Tunisia Tunisia, officially the Republic of Tunisia, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered by Algeria to the west and southwest, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Tunisia also shares m ...
.


Numidian bazina tombs

A type of tomb unique to the Numidian world has been discovered at Dougga. They are referred to as bazina tombs or circular monument tombs.


Punic-Libyan Mausoleum

The Mausoleum of Ateban is one of the very rare examples of royal Numidian architecture. There is another in
Sabratha Sabratha (; also ''Sabratah'', ''Siburata''), in the Zawiya DistrictLibya Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
. Some authors believe that there is a link with the funeral architecture in
Anatolia Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
and the necropoleis in
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
from the 3rd and 2nd centuryBC.Pierre Gros, ''L'architecture romaine du début du IIIe siècle à la fin du Haut-Empire'', tome 2 « Maisons, palais, villas et tombeaux », éd. Picard, Paris, 2001, p. 417 This tomb is tall and was built in the 2nd centuryBC. A bilingual inscription installed in the mausoleum mentioned that the tomb was dedicated to Ateban, the son of Iepmatath and Palu. In 1842, Sir Thomas Reade, the
British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...
consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states thro ...
in
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
seriously damaged the monument while removing this inscription. This bilingual
Punic-Libyan Inscription The Punic-Libyan bilingual inscriptions are two important ancient bilingual inscriptions dated to the 2nd century BC. The first, the Cenotaph Inscription, was transcribed in 1631 by Thomas D'Arcos and later played a significant role in decipheri ...
, now held at the
British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
, made it possible to decode the Libyan characters. It has only recently been established that the inscription was originally located on one side of a fake window on the
podium A podium (: podiums or podia) is a platform used to raise something to a short distance above its surroundings. In architecture a building can rest on a large podium. Podiums can also be used to raise people, for instance the conductor of a ...
. According to the most recent research, the names cited in the inscription are only those of its architect and of representatives of the different professions involved in its construction. The monument was built by the inhabitants of the city for a Numidian prince; some authors believe that it was intended for
Massinissa Masinissa (''c.'' 238 BC – 148 BC), also spelled Massinissa, Massena and Massan, was an ancient Numidian king best known for leading a federation of Massylii Berber tribes during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), ultimately uniting th ...
The monument owes its current appearance to the work of
French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...
archaeologist Archaeology or archeology is the study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of Artifact (archaeology), artifacts, architecture, biofact (archaeology), biofacts or ecofacts, ...
Louis Poinssot, who essentially reconstructed it from pieces that were left lying on the ground. The tomb is accessed via a
pedestal A pedestal or plinth is a support at the bottom of a statue, vase, column, or certain altars. Smaller pedestals, especially if round in shape, may be called socles. In civil engineering, it is also called ''basement''. The minimum height o ...
with five steps. On the northern side of the podium (the lowest of three levels in the monument), there is an opening to the funeral chamber that is closed with a stone slab. The other sides are decorated with fake windows and four
Aeolic In linguistics, Aeolic Greek (), also known as Aeolian (), Lesbian or Lesbic dialect, is the set of dialects of Ancient Greek spoken mainly in Boeotia; in Thessaly; in the Aegean island of Lesbos; and in the Greek colonies of Aeolis in Anat ...
pilaster In architecture, a pilaster is both a load-bearing section of thickened wall or column integrated into a wall, and a purely decorative element in classical architecture which gives the appearance of a supporting column and articulates an ext ...
s. The second level is made up of a temple-like colonnade (''naiskos''); the columns on each side are Ionic. The third level is the most richly decorated of all: in addition to pilasters similar to those on the lowest level, it is capped with a
pyramid A pyramid () is a structure whose visible surfaces are triangular in broad outline and converge toward the top, making the appearance roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be of any polygon shape, such as trian ...
. Some elements of carved stone have also survived.


Roman sepulchres

Although work has in the past been undertaken to uncover the Roman sepulchres, today they have been reclaimed in part by
olive tree The olive, botanical name ''Olea europaea'' ("European olive"), is a species of Subtropics, subtropical evergreen tree in the Family (biology), family Oleaceae. Originating in Anatolia, Asia Minor, it is abundant throughout the Mediterranean ...
s. The different necropoleis mark the zones of settlement at Dougga. There are five areas that have been identified as necropoleis: the first in the northeast, around the Temple of Saturn and the Victoria Church, the second in the northwest, a zone which also encompasses the dolmens on the site, the third in the west, between the Aïn Mizeb and Aïn El Hammam cisterns and to the north of the Temple of Juno Caelestis, the fourth and the fifth in the south and the south-east, one around the mausoleum and the other around Septimius Severus'
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
.


Hypogeum

The
hypogeum A hypogeum or hypogaeum ( ; plural hypogea or hypogaea; literally meaning "underground") is an underground temple or tomb. Hypogea will often contain niches for cremated human remains or loculi for buried remains. Occasionally tombs of th ...
is a half-buried edifice from the 3rd century. It was erected in the middle of the oldest necropolis, which was excavated in 1913. The hypogeum was designed to house funeral urns in small niches in the walls; at the time of its discovery, it contained
sarcophagi A sarcophagus (: sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a coffin, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek σάρξ ' meaning "flesh", and φ ...
, which suggests that it was in use for a long time.


Political monuments


Triumphal arches

Dougga still contains two
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
es, which are in different states of disrepair.
Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...
's arch, which is heavily damaged, stands close to the mausoleum and on the route leading from Carthage to Théveste.Mustapha Khanoussi, ''Dougga'', p. 70 It was erected in AD205. Alexander Severus' arch, which dates from 222 to 235, is relatively well preserved, despite the loss of its upper elements. It is equidistant from the capitol and the Temple of Juno Caelestis. Its arcade is tall. A third triumphal arch, dating from the
Tetrarchy The Tetrarchy was the system instituted by Roman emperor Diocletian in 293 AD to govern the ancient Roman Empire by dividing it between two emperors, the ''augusti'', and their junior colleagues and designated successors, the ''caesares''. I ...
, has been completely lost.


Forum

The city forum, which is in size is small. It is better preserved in some places than others, because the construction of the Byzantine fort damaged a large section of it.Pierre Gros, ''L'architecture romaine du début du IIIe siècle à la fin du Haut-Empire'', tome 1, p. 228 The capitol, which stands on an area surrounded by
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
s, dominates its surroundings by virtue of its imposing appearance. The "square of the Rose of the Winds" (which is named after a decorative element) seems more like an esplanade leading to the Temple of Mercury, which stands on its northern side, than an open public space. The city's curia and a tribune for speeches probably also stood here. Long ago, archaeologists believed that Roman settlement at Dougga occurred ''ex nihilo''. This suggestion has been contradicted by the discovery of a sanctuary dedicated to
Massinissa Masinissa (''c.'' 238 BC – 148 BC), also spelled Massinissa, Massena and Massan, was an ancient Numidian king best known for leading a federation of Massylii Berber tribes during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), ultimately uniting th ...
amongst the substructures to the rear of the capitol.Mustapha Khanoussi, ''Dougga'', p. 32


Recreational facilities


Theatre

Roman theatre (structure), Roman theatres were a fundamental element of the monumental make-up of a city from the reign of
Augustus Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
. The theatre, which was built in AD168 or 169, is one of the best preserved examples in Africa (Roman province), Roman Africa. It could seat 3500 spectators, even though Dougga only had 5000 inhabitants. It was one of a series of imperial buildings constructed over the course of two centuries at Dougga which deviate from the classic "blueprints" only inasmuch as they have been adapted to take account of the local terrain. Some minor adjustments have been made and the local architects had a certain freedom with regard to the ornamentation of the buildings. A dedication engraved into the pediment of the Stage (theatre), stage and on the
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
the dominates the city, recalls the building's commissioner, P. Marcius Quadratus, who "built [it] for his homeland with his own Denarius, denarii"; the dedication was celebrated with "scenic representations, distributions of life, a festival and athletic games". The theater is still used for performances of classic theater, particularly during the festival of Dougga, and conservation work has been carried out on it.


Auditorium

The site known as the auditorium is an annex of the Temple of
Liber In Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion and Roman mythology, mythology, Liber ( , ; "the free one"), also known as Liber Pater ("the free Father"), was a god of viticulture and wine, male fertility and freedom. He was a patron de ...
, which probably served for the initiation of novices. Despite its modern appellation, the auditorium was not a site for spectacles; only its form suggests otherwise. It measures .


Circus

The city has a Circus (building), circus designed for chariot racing, but it is barely visible nowadays. Originally, the circus consisted of nothing more than a field; an inscription in the temple in honor of Caracalla's victory in Germany notes that the land was donated by the Gabinii in 214 and describes it as an ''ager qui appellatur circus'' (field that serves as a circus) ). In 225 though, the site was prepared and the circus was constructed. It was financed by the magistrates (duumviri and aedile) after they had promised to do so following in response to a request from the entire population of the city. The circus was built to take the maximum possible advantage of the surrounding landscape, in reflection of an understandable need to limit costs in a medium-sized city with limited resources, but certainly also out of desire to finish the construction works as quickly as possible, given that magistrates' mandates were limited to one year. The construction was nonetheless expected to have "a certain magnitude";Mustapha Khanoussi et Louis Maurin, ''Dougga. Fragments d'histoire. Choix d'inscriptions latines éditées, traduites et commentées (Ier-IVe siècles)'', p. 41 at long with a spina , the circus is quite extraordinary in Africa (Roman province), Roman Africa. The circus marks Dougga out as one of the most important cities in the province, alongside
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
,
Thysdrus Thysdrus was a Carthaginian town and Roman colony near present-day El Djem, Tunisia. Under the Romans, it was the center of olive oil production in the provinces of Africa and Byzacena and was quite prosperous. The surviving amphitheater is a W ...
, Leptis Magna, Hadrumet et Utica, Tunisia, Utica. The donation of the land for the pleasure of the general populace (') and its development following a request from the entire population (') are a reminder of the importance of spectacles in the social life of Roman cities and the demand for popular entertainment.


Amphitheater

The question of whether there was an Roman amphitheatre, amphitheater at Dougga has not been conclusively answered. Traditionally, a large elliptic depression to the northwest of the site has been interpreted as the site of an amphitheater. Archeologists have however become much more cautious on this subject.


Baths

Three Thermae, Roman baths have been completely excavated at Dougga; a fourth has so far only been partially uncovered. Of these four baths, one ("the bath of the house to the west of the Temple of Tellus") belongs to a private residence, two, the Aïn Doura bath and the bath known for a long time as the "Licinian bath", were, judging by their size, open to the public, while the nature of the last bath, the bath of the Cyclopses, is more difficult to interpret.


Bath of the Cyclopses

During the excavation of the Bath of the Cyclopses, a mosaic of ''cyclopses forging Jupiter's thunderbolts'' was uncovered. It is now on display at the Bardo National Museum (Tunis), Bardo National Museum, where several very well preserved Sanitation in ancient Rome, latrines are also on display. The building has been dated to the 3rd century CE on the basis of a study of the mosaic. The size of the building (its frigidarium is less than Yvon Thébert, ''Thermes romains d'Afrique du Nord et leur contexte méditerranéen'', éd. École française de Rome, Rome, 2003, p. 179) has led some experts to believe that it was a private bath, but the identification of a domus in the immediate vicinity has proven difficult. The "trifolium villa" is quite distant, and the closest ruins are hard to identify as they have not been well preserved. Yvon Thébert therefore suggests that the bath served the local quarter.


Antonian or Licinian Bath

The Antonian Bath, which dates from the 3rd century, was known as the Licinian Baths (after emperor ''Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus'') and has several storeys. Louis Poinssot's identification of the bath as dating to
Gallienus Publius Licinius Egnatius Gallienus (; – September 268) was Roman emperor with his father Valerian from 253 to 260 and alone from 260 to 268. He ruled during the Crisis of the Third Century that nearly caused the collapse of the empire. He ...
' reign on the basis of incomplete inscriptions and Dougga's prosperity at this time has been called into question by recent research, conducted in particular by Michel Christol. Christol has suggested that the bath dates from the reign of
Caracalla Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (born Lucius Septimius Bassianus, 4 April 188 – 8 April 217), better known by his nickname Caracalla (; ), was Roman emperor from 198 to 217 AD, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father and then r ...
; this thesis has since been confirmed by an Epigraphy, analysis of inscriptions. Others have even suggested that the bath dates from the reign of the Severan dynasty, because of a particularity which became common a century later in the west: the columns in the northwest peristyle feature daises bearing arches.Gabriel Camps, « Dougga », ''L'Encyclopédie berbère'', p. 2526 The bath was later used for the production of olive oil at an unknown date.Yvon Thébert, ''op. cit.'', p. 177 The symmetrical building is medium-sized, with an area of excluding the palaestra, of which are taken up by the frigidarium. The construction of the bath required work both to lower and to raise sections of the slope on which it stood, which may explain why parts of the building have been better preserved than others; the section built on raised ground has for the most part been lost.Yvon Thébert, ''op. cit.'', p. 178


Aïn Doura Baths

In the immediate vicinity of Aïn Doura is a partially excavated complex that could turn out to be the largest bath in the city, the Aïn Doura Baths. On the basis of the mosaics that have been found here, it has been suggested that the bath dates from the end of the 2nd century or the start of the 3rd century, and that the mosaic décor was renewed in the 4th century CE.Yvon Thébert, ''op. cit.'', p. 176 The complex remains largely unexposed, but it seems, according to Yvon Thébert, that it has a symmetrical design, of which only a section of the cold rooms has been excavated.


The bath of the house to the west of the Temple of Tellus

This bath, measuring , which can be accessed from the house and from the street, was uncovered at the start of the 20th century. The archaeological analysis of the bath's relationship with the house in which it is located has led Yvon Thébert, Thébert to suggest that it was a later addition to the original construction but he does not propose a date for this event.


Religious edifices

There is archaeological or
epigraphic Epigraphy () is the study of inscriptions, or epigraphs, as writing; it is the science of identifying graphemes, clarifying their meanings, classifying their uses according to dates and cultural contexts, and drawing conclusions about the wr ...
evidence for more than twenty temples at Dougga; a significant number for a small city. There are archaeological remains and inscriptions proving the existence of eleven temples, archaeological remains of a further eight, and inscriptions referring to another fourteen. This abundance of religious sites is the result in particular of the philanthropy of wealthy families.


Temple of Massinissa

The Temple of
Massinissa Masinissa (''c.'' 238 BC – 148 BC), also spelled Massinissa, Massena and Massan, was an ancient Numidian king best known for leading a federation of Massylii Berber tribes during the Second Punic War (218–201 BC), ultimately uniting th ...
is located on the western flank of the capital. The first archaeologists believed that the remains of the temple were a monumental fountain, even though an inscription proving the existence of a sanctuary to the deceased
Numidia Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...
n king was discovered in 1904. This inscription has been dated to 139BC, during the reign of
Micipsa Micipsa ( Numidian: ''Mikiwsan''; , ; died BC) was the eldest legitimate son of Masinissa, the King of Numidia, a Berber kingdom in North Africa. Micipsa became the King of Numidia in 148 BC. Early life In 151 BC, Masinissa sent Micipsa and his ...
. The remains are similar to those of the temple in Chemtou and are evidence of the fact that the political center of the Roman city was in the same place as the Hellenic
agora The agora (; , romanized: ', meaning "market" in Modern Greek) was a central public space in ancient Ancient Greece, Greek polis, city-states. The literal meaning of the word "agora" is "gathering place" or "assembly". The agora was the center ...
. The stone remains found in this area seem to belong to several different structures; the exact location of the sanctuary is still open to debate. Although it is believed that the sanctuary set Massinissa on par with a god, this is debated by some experts. Stéphane Gsell, Gsell believes that a temple to the king would reflect a continuation of eastern and Hellenic practices;
Camps Camps may refer to: People *Ramón Camps (1927–1994), Argentine general *Gabriel Camps (1927–2002), French historian *Luís Espinal Camps (1932–1980), Spanish missionary to Bolivia *Victoria Camps (b. 1941), Spanish philosopher and professor ...
builds on this hypothesis, pointing out the lack of any antique sources testifying to anything more than simple expressions of respect by a people vis-à-vis its king. According to Camps, the temple is only a memorial, a site belonging to a funeral cult. Its construction ten years into
Micipsa Micipsa ( Numidian: ''Mikiwsan''; , ; died BC) was the eldest legitimate son of Masinissa, the King of Numidia, a Berber kingdom in North Africa. Micipsa became the King of Numidia in 148 BC. Early life In 151 BC, Masinissa sent Micipsa and his ...
's reign can be explained by its political symbolism: Micipsa, sole ruler after the death of his brothers Gulussa and Mastanabal, was affirming the unity of his kingdom around the person of the king.


The Capitol

The Capitol is a Roman temple from the 2nd century, principally dedicated to
Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
's Capitoline Triad, protective triad: Jupiter (mythology), Jupiter Best and Greatest ('), Juno (mythology), Juno the Queen ('), and Minerva (mythology), Minerva the August ('). It has a secondary dedication to the wellbeing of the emperors Lucius Verus and
Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus ( ; ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 and a Stoicism, Stoic philosopher. He was a member of the Nerva–Antonine dynasty, the last of the rulers later known as the Five Good Emperors ...
; judging by this reference, the Capitol must have been completed in AD166-167. Thomas d'Arcos identified the Capitol as a temple of Jupiter in the 17th century. It was the object of further research at the end of the 19th century, led in particular by the doctor Louis Carton in 1893. The walls, executed in ''opus africanum'' style, and the entablature of the
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
were restored between 1903 and 1910. Claude Poinssot discovered a crypt beneath the cella in 1955. The most recent works were carried out by the Tunisian ''Institut national du patrimoine'' between 1994 and 1996.Sophie Saint-Amans, ''op. cit.'', p. 283 The Capitol is exceptionally well preserved, which is a consequence of its inclusion in the Byzantine fortification. A series of eleven stairs lead up to the front portico. The temple front's Corinthian order, Corinthian columns are tall, on top of which is the perfectly preserved pediment. The pediment bears a depiction of emperor Antoninus Pius's Apotheosis#Ancient Rome, elevation to godhood. The emperor is being carried by an eagle. The base of the cella still features alcoves for three statues. The middle alcove houses a colossal statue of Jupiter. The discovery of the head of a statue of Jupiter has led Claude Poinssot, Poinssot to suggest that the crypt dates from the period of Christianity's triumph over the old religions. Sophie Saint-Amans, St-Amans does not exclude the possibility that the crypt was built at the same time as the Byzantine citadel, of which the forum and capitol formed the nerve center. The construction of the Capitol at Dougga occurred at the same time as the construction of other monuments of the same type elsewhere in
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
, which Pierre Gros, Gros explains as a consequence of the greater proximity of the Imperial cult (ancient Rome), imperial cult and the cult of Jupiter. Near the Capitol are the "square of the Rose of the Winds"which is named after a compass rose that is engraved on the floorand the remains of the Byzantine citadel, which reused a section of the ruins after the city's decline. Image:P6212479 dougga.jpg, Antoninus Pius' elevation to godhood Image:Dougga-ninxol.JPG, Interior of the cella with the alcoves designed to hold statues Image:Dougga capitole 1900.jpg, The Capitol at the start of the 20th century File:The Capital Dougga Tunisia 2006.jpg, The front of the Capitol in 2006 File:Temple aux six colonnes 03.jpg, The Capitol at night


Temple of Mercury

The Temple of Mercury is also dedicated to Terra (mythology), Tellus. It faces towards the market; between the two lies the "square of the Rose of the Winds". The temple is largely in ruins. It has three cellaePierre Gros, ''L'architecture romaine du début du IIIe siècle à la fin du Haut-Empire'', tome 1, p. 197 but no courtyard. The sanctuary, which can be accessed via a series of four stairs, stands on a faded podium. It was excavated and shored up between 1904 and 1908.


Temple of August Piety

The small Temple of August Piety was built during the reign of Hadrian. It was financed through the philanthropy of a certain Caius Pompeius Nahanius. The temple faces the "square of the Rose of the Winds". Part of the Vestibule (architecture), vestibule survives. Behind the temple, on the foundations of the Temple of Fortuna, Venus (mythology), Venus Concordia and Mercury, stands a
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
. The mosque is the last remnant of the little village that existed on the site until the creation of New Dougga. Thomas d'Arcos, D'Arcos identified the temple in 1631 thanks to an inscription that was still in place at the time. The podium is relatively low (); it can be ascended by a series of seven stairs on the southern side.


Temple of Minerva

The first Temple of Minerva at Dougga was a gift of the Patronage in ancient Rome, patron of the ' at the end of the 1st century, but the more important site dedicated to this divinity is a building which features a temple and an area surrounded by a
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
dating from the reign of Antoninus Pius. It was financed through the philanthropy of a priestess of the imperial cult, Julia Paula Laenatiana. The building was designed to take advantage of the slope on which it stands; the podium is at the level of the roof of the portico and the temple in the strict sense of the word is located outside the surrounding building. The stairs providing access to the temple accentuates the inaccessible nature of the divinity.


Temple of Caracalla's Victory in Germany

The Temple of Caracalla's Victory in Germany is the only edifice dedicated to the Imperial cult (ancient Rome), imperial cult to have been located precisely at Dougga.Véronique Brouquier-Reddé, « La place du sanctuaire de la Victoire germanique de Caracalla dans la typologie de l'architecture religieuse païenne de l'Afrique romaine », ''L'Afrique du Nord antique et médiévale'', actes du VIIIe colloque d'archéologie et d'histoire de l'Afrique du Nord (8-13 mai 2000 à Tabarka), Tunis, 2003, pp. 457-470 Fragments of an inscription on the temple's Lintel (architecture), lintel were discovered in 1835, but the temple was not identified until 1966. It features a nymphaeum that dates to the reign of
Commodus Commodus (; ; 31 August 161 – 31 December 192) was Roman emperor from 177 to 192, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father Marcus Aurelius and then ruling alone from 180. Commodus's sole reign is commonly thought to mark the end o ...
.Mustapha Khanoussi, « Le temple de la Victoire germanique de Caracalla à Dougga », pp. 447-456 The temple, which is relatively narrow, has an unusual design. It is , and is situated beside the road that descends from the forum to the Aïn Doura Bath. The temple is associated with a
triumphal arch A triumphal arch is a free-standing monumental structure in the shape of an archway with one or more arched passageways, often designed to span a road, and usually standing alone, unconnected to other buildings. In its simplest form, a triumphal ...
over the road. The temple can be accessed via a semi-circular staircase; in each corner of the courtyard in front of the staircase is a reservoir for rain water. The cella inside the sanctuary features six lateral niches which are designed to hold the bases of statues of Apollo,
Liber In Religion in ancient Rome, ancient Roman religion and Roman mythology, mythology, Liber ( , ; "the free one"), also known as Liber Pater ("the free Father"), was a god of viticulture and wine, male fertility and freedom. He was a patron de ...
, Neptune (mythology), Neptune, Mercury and of two other gods that can no longer be identified. The temple can be seen from afar, but passers-by can only see the cella, the foundations of which are decoratively Rustication (architecture), rusticated. Seven columns are spaced along the cella, linking to the lateral door, which opens onto the staircase. The Portico#Tetrastyle, tetrastyle temple is built in Tuscan order ''in antis''. The temple's design is unusual inasmuch as temples of the imperial cult are generally Corinthian order, Corinthian and located in the middle of a vast courtyard with a portico; the Tuscan order was thus quite rare in the provinces. The temple therefore bears witness to a desire to construct something that was different from other such buildings, doubtless in response to the constraints created by the terrain. The dedication in the temple sheds light on its construction: the inscription, which has been very precisely dated to AD214, consecrates the temple to the personification of victory, Victoria (mythology), Victoria, here specifically in connection with the emperor's campaigns in Germany, for the welfare of Caracalla and of his mother Iulia Domna. The text recalls the military projects of the son of
Septimius Severus Lucius Septimius Severus (; ; 11 April 145 – 4 February 211) was Roman emperor from 193 to 211. He was born in Leptis Magna (present-day Al-Khums, Libya) in the Roman province of Africa. As a young man he advanced through cursus honorum, the ...
and their celebration within the context of the imperial cult. This inscription also explains that the temple was constructed at a cost of 100,000 Sestertius, sestertii on the wishes of a great lady of Dougga named Gabinia Hermiona after her death. Besides the generosity of this act of philanthropy, her will foresaw the holding of an annual banquet for the Decurion (administrative), ordo decurionum to be financed by her inheritors on the anniversary of the dedication of the temple. At the same time, Gabinia Hermiona bequeathed the land for the circus "for the pleasure of the people". The temple occupied what was doubtlessly one of the last free spaces in the vicinity of the forum. The temple's benefactor preferred this site in the city center to those that she owned in the outskirts: the site of the circus or the site where the Temple of Celeste was later built. Gabinia's family, one of the richest in Dougga, was well placed within Carthage's notables and maintained its power at Dougga, even during the reduction of the local aristocracy in the 3rd century. The terms of Gabinia's will provide evidence of her concern that the family should endure - the annual banquet would keep alive the memory of the family's generosity and emphasize its sociability, while the circus would provide for the pleasure of the most humble of the city's inhabitants. At the end of the 4th century, the Temple of Caracalla's Victory in Germany was transformed into a Church (building), church. The reservoirs in the courtyard were filled in order to provide space for the faithful, while pulpits were added to the cella. The decoration of the cella was also modified.


Temple of Pluto

Pluto (mythology), Pluto receives particular honor at Dougga as the city's patron divinity, as demonstrated by the ''Genius (mythology), Genius Thuggae''.Mustapha Khanoussi, ''Dougga'', p. 71 It is possible that the Temple of Pluto is located near Septimius Severus's triumphal arch in an area of the city that has only been partially excavated as yet,Sophie Saint-Amans, ''op. cit.'', p. 370 but this hypothesis is not very firm and is based on the discovery of a bust in a courtyard, which has been dated by Claude Poinssot, Poinssot to the 2nd or 3rd century. The associated building was excavated in the 1960s but little is known about the manner in which the excavation was conducted and the stabilization work carried out at the site. A cella with just one niche has been discovered on a podium in the middle of a courtyard and the altar has also been preserved. An architectural study was carried out between 2000 and 2002, but it did not lead to any excavation work.


Temple of Saturn

Saturn Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant, with an average radius of about 9 times that of Earth. It has an eighth the average density of Earth, but is over 95 tim ...
was the successor of the Punic
Ba'al Hammon Baal Hammon, properly Baʿal Ḥamon ( Phoenician and ), meaning "Lord Hammon", was the chief god of ancient Carthage. He was a weather god considered responsible for the fertility of vegetation and esteemed as king of the gods. He was depicte ...
and was the attendant (') of Tanit or Juno (mythology), Heavenly Juno ('). During the Roman era, the city of Dougga had at least two sanctuaries dedicated to Saturn. The evidence for the existence of one of the two derives mostly from inscriptions found in the city. The second temple, which is the one commonly known as the Temple of Saturn at Dougga, has been excavated. The remains of this temple, which are less significant than those of the capitol or the Temple of Juno Caelestis, are of particular interest because of their location. The ruins lie atop a promontory that overlooks the rich cereal valley of the Oued Khalled, from the theater and outside the bounds of the city. During the excavation works, remains of a temple of Ba'al Hammon, particularly ritual ditches (') containing ex-votos, were discovered. The Roman temple thus replaced an indigenous sanctuary that dated back at least to the 2nd centuryBC. This sanctuary consisted essentially of a wide open space designed to receive ex-votos and sacrifices. It was covered over to facilitate the construction of the Temple of Saturn, the ruins of which can still be seen today. The Roman temple was built during the reign of Septimius Severus. It consists of three cellae, a courtyard with a
portico A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls. This idea was widely used in ancient Greece and has influenced many cu ...
, and a Vestibule (architecture), vestibule. Water from the temple roof was collected in cisterns. An inscription provides details about the temple's construction: it was erected using funds bequeathed in the testament of a notable local resident named Lucius Octavius Victor Roscianus at a cost of at least 150,000 Sestertius, sestertii, which seems expensive but may be explained by the extent of the earthworks required to give the temple a solid foundation; these works nonetheless seem to have proven insufficient as work to restore and shore up the edifice appear to have been carried out before it finally fell into ruin.


Temple of Juno Caelestis

The Temple of Juno Caelestis (Dougga), Temple of Juno Caelestis, which was built on the outskirts of the city, was described in the 17th century and excavated in the 1890s. Significant restoration work was undertaken between 1904 and 1914, and new studies were carried out between 1999 and 2002.Sophie Saint-Amans, ''op. cit.'', p. 275 The temple is dedicated to Heavenly Juno ('), the successor of the Punic god Tanit. Its well-preserved temenos is demarcated by a wall, a large section of which has been very well preserved. The court is only partially tiled and has two symmetrical doors. A portico with 25 Bay (architecture), bays runs along the circular section of the temenos. The portico is topped with a frieze depicting the construction of the temple. The temple in the strict sense of the word stands on a high podium that can be accessed via a series of eleven steps. It is a Corinthian order, Corinthian Portico#Hexastyle, hexastyle peripteros. The pediment features a dedication to
Alexander Severus Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander (1 October 208 – March 235), also known as Alexander Severus, was Roman emperor from 222 until 235. He was the last emperor from the Severan dynasty. Alexander took power in 222, when he succeeded his slain co ...
. The cella has been completely lost. The temple, which was erected between AD222 and 235, was paid for by a certain Q. Gabinius Rufus Felix, who donated ''inter alia'' two silver statues of Juno Caelestis that cost 35,000 Sestertius, sestertii. The temenos, which is in diameter, is reminiscent of a crescent moon, the symbol of Juno Caelestis.


Dar Lacheb

The purpose of the edifice known as Dar Lacheb (, "House of Lacheb") has not been clearly identified. Sophie Saint-Amans, St-Amans believes that it is a sanctuary dedicated to Aesculapius, which accords with Claude Poinssot, Poinssot's hypothesis that it is a temple. Dar Lacheb was excavated at the end of the 19th century by Louis Carton, Carton and has not been the subject of further works since 1912. A house that was built nearby re-using antique remains was destroyed at the start of the 20th century. Dar Lacheb was built between AD164 and 166, at the same era as the capitol, which is away. The entrance to the building has been perfectly preserved, as has one of the columns of the entrance porch. The interior consists of a courtyard that was once surrounded with a portico. To the south is the cella of a temple that has been entirely destroyed.


Victoria Church

The Victoria Church, which stands in the northeast of the site, below the Temple of Saturn, is the only Christian building that has been so far excavated at Dougga. At the end of the 4th century or at the start of the 5th century, the Christian community erected the unusually designed little Church (building), church over a Paganism, pagan cemetery. The small
hypogeum A hypogeum or hypogaeum ( ; plural hypogea or hypogaea; literally meaning "underground") is an underground temple or tomb. Hypogea will often contain niches for cremated human remains or loculi for buried remains. Occasionally tombs of th ...
is located nearby.


Bishopric

During antiquity, Thugga was also the cathedra, seat of the bishop of Diocese of Thucca Terenbenthina, Thucca Terenbenthina. The bishopric was founded during the Roman Empire and survived through the Arianism, Arian Vandal Kingdom and Eastern Orthodox Church, Orthodox Byzantine Empire, only ceasing to function with the Muslim conquest of the Maghreb. The diocese was re-founded by the Roman Catholic Church as a titular see in the 20th century.


Infrastructure


Cisterns and aqueducts

Dougga has two networks of cisterns, in the north and in the west, one of which is particularly well preserved. An Roman aqueduct, aqueduct leading to the city, located a short distance from the well-preserved cisterns, is amongst the best preserved examples of this type of structure on the territory of modern-day Tunisia. The six cisterns of Aïn El Hammam, situated close to the Temple of Juno Caelestis, have a total capacity of 6000 m3 but are in ruins. They were fed by a spring away and an aqueduct constructed during the reign of
Commodus Commodus (; ; 31 August 161 – 31 December 192) was Roman emperor from 177 to 192, first serving as nominal co-emperor under his father Marcus Aurelius and then ruling alone from 180. Commodus's sole reign is commonly thought to mark the end o ...
and restored in the last quarter of the 4th century CE. This site is still used once annually for a festival celebrating Mokhola, who was a female saint and benefactor of Moroccan origin according to local oral tradition The veneration of Mokhola is accompanied with animal sacrifices. It has been shown that this tradition has pagan origins; the object of veneration was originally the spring, known as ''fons moccolitanus'' The second network of cisterns, the cisterns of Aïn Mizeb, is very well preserved. Located close to the Temple of Minerva (mythology), Minerva, these eight domed reservoirs can hold and feature a basin into which they decant. The cisterns are fed by a spring located away connected via an underground aqueduct. A final network of secondary cisterns is located in the vicinity of the Aïn Doura Bath, in the south-west of the site.


Streets

Dougga's streets are not laid out as prescribed by the normal theoretical model of a Roman settlementaround a cardo and a Decumanus Maximus, decumanusas a result of the city's unique design. The center of the city was probably paved; the streets resembled meandering lanes. The city had sewers, as is evidenced by the access stones that are still in place in the streets. At the foot of the hill, there are traces of streets joining with the main road from
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
to Tébessa, Theveste


Discoveries made at Dougga

The site at Dougga has offered up numerous works or art, many of which have been removed and placed in museums, most notably the Bardo National Museum (Tunis), Bardo National Museum in
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
.


Works on site

Few works of art have been left on site, with the exception of a sculpture of a togate man (') at the "Square of the Rose of the Winds" and a number of Roman mosaic, mosaics, including those in the building known as the house of Venus and in particular at the Aïn Doura Bath. This is a consequence of the discovery of Dougga's works of art at a time when archaeological sites were robbed of their treasures and abandoned after a dig. This approach has made it possible to preserve a certain number of mosaics with their colours intact; other mosaics that were uncovered but not removed have suffered due to their exposure to the elements. A proposal to construct a museum on the site is being studied. It would serve in particular to house recent discoveries and those yet to be made.


Works at the Bardo National Museum


Statues

A number of heads of emperors have been discovered during the digs at the site. Amongst these, the portrait of Lucius Verus is particularly noteworthy: he is depicted with a generous head of hair, a full beard and a vivacity that makes it one of the most significant statues yet discovered in Roman Africa. This African masterpiece was realized in marble from Carrara and still has traces of color amongst the hairs.Nayla Ouertani, « La sculpture romaine », ''La Tunisie, carrefour du monde antique'', éd. Faton, Paris, 1995, p. 95 The Bardo National Museum (Tunis), Bardo National Museum also houses a togate man (') that dates from the 3rd century. It depicts an aged man, who has a short beard and is dressed in a toga. It seems certain that this is a later work of art reflective of the contemporary taste in art.


Mosaics

The "butler's mosaic" dating from the middle of the 3rd century features a drinking scene. Two characters are serving two others, who are much smaller, from amphoras on their shoulders. The two amphoras bear the letters (''Rie'', "Drink!" in Ancient Greek) and (''Zēsēs'', "You will live!"). The amphora bearers are flanked by another two characters, one of whom is carrying another amphora, the other of whom is carrying a branch of Bay Laurel, laurel and a basket of roses. This depiction is a greeting to all guests and a promise of hospitality. The same is true of another mosaic held at the museum which bears the phrase ' ("May everything please you"). The "mosaic of the victorious charioteer" is younger than these works. It dates from the second half of the 4th century, and features the phrase ' ("All things through you, Eros"). The depiction of the charioteer shows great attention to realism, as do the depictions of the horses, two of which are named Amandus and Frunitus after their characters. The horses are arranged symmetrically; such symmetries were very popular at the time. The charioteer is holding a whip, a Laurel wreath, crown made of branches and a Palm branch (symbol), palm branch. The starting blocks of the Circus (building), circus can be seen in the background. This work of art was found in a private residence and it appears that it must be interpreted as a monument donated by the owner celebrating the victory of a charioteer named Eros. The "Ulysses mosaic" is a work inspired by the ''Odyssey'': the Greek hero Odysseus (Ulysses to the Romans) is seen standing on a boat that is decorated with a human head and a palm branch and that has two sails and a battering ram. Ulysses's hands are tied to the main mast so that he will not succumb to the fatal charm of the Siren (mythology), sirens' music. Ulysses's companions are seated around him, their ears blocked with wax as described in the legend. Three sirens stand at the base of a rocky crag. They are depicted with the upper body of a woman but the wings and legs of a bird. One of them holds a flute, the second a lyre, while the third, who does not carry an instrument, is believed to be the singing siren. In front of Ulysses's boat, there is a small barque with a fisherman holding a lobster, the depiction of which is over-sized. The mosaic has been dated to around AD260–268; it was discovered in the "House of Ulysses and the Pirates". The mosaic "Neptune (god), Neptune and the pirates" originates from the same peristyle as the preceding work. It depicts the punishment of pirates on the Tyrrhenian Sea, merging themes linked to Dionysus and more common marine themes. The god is standing, ready to throw his spear. He is supported by a maenad, a satyr and aged Silenus, who is holding the ship's rudder. A leopard is attacking one of the pirates, who are transformed into dolphins as soon as they recognize the divine nature of their adversary. To the left, Genius (mythology), genii have boarded another ship, while to the right, fishermen are attempting to catch an octopus with a net. Mohamed Yacoub, Yacoub attributes a protective function to these two scenes, a means of invoking fate, a practice which is probably based on Hellenic tradition. The mosaic of the "cyclopses forging Jupiter's thunderbolts" from the floor of a frigidarium depicts three cyclopses: Brontes, Steropes, and Pyracmon or Arges. They are depicted naked, forging Jupiter (mythology), Jupiter's thunderbolts, which Vulcan (mythology), Vulcan, seated in front of them, is holding on an anvil. This last element has been lost. The mosaic dates to the end of the 3rd century and was discovered in the "Bath of the Cyclopses".Mohamed Yacoub, ''op. cit.'', p. 181 File:Mosaique echansons Bardo.jpg, ''Butler's mosaic''. File:Omnia tibi felicia bardo.jpg, ''Omnia tibi Felicia''. File:Mosaïque d'Ulysse et les sirènes.jpg, ''Ulysses and the sirens''. File:Neptune et les pirates.jpg, ''Neptune and the pirates''. File:GiorcesBardo51.jpg, ''Cyclopses forging Jupiter's thunderbolts''


Works held in other museums

The bilingual inscription from the mausoleum taken by the British consul Read is held by the
British Museum The British Museum is a Museum, public museum dedicated to human history, art and culture located in the Bloomsbury area of London. Its permanent collection of eight million works is the largest in the world. It documents the story of human cu ...
. The
Punic-Libyan Inscription The Punic-Libyan bilingual inscriptions are two important ancient bilingual inscriptions dated to the 2nd century BC. The first, the Cenotaph Inscription, was transcribed in 1631 by Thomas D'Arcos and later played a significant role in decipheri ...
shows the same text in both the
Punic The Punic people, usually known as the Carthaginians (and sometimes as Western Phoenicians), were a Semitic people who migrated from Phoenicia to the Western Mediterranean during the Early Iron Age. In modern scholarship, the term ''Punic'' ...
and the Berber languages.


See also

*
Numidia Numidia was the ancient kingdom of the Numidians in northwest Africa, initially comprising the territory that now makes up Algeria, but later expanding across what is today known as Tunisia and Libya. The polity was originally divided between ...
*
Carthage Carthage was an ancient city in Northern Africa, on the eastern side of the Lake of Tunis in what is now Tunisia. Carthage was one of the most important trading hubs of the Ancient Mediterranean and one of the most affluent cities of the classic ...
* Africa (Roman province), Roman Africa * Roman 'Coloniae' in Berber Africa, Roman colonies in Berber Africa


References


Citations


Bibliography

* .


Further reading


French

* Aïcha Ben Abed-Ben Khader, ''Le musée du Bardo'', éd. Cérès, Tunis, 1992 * Claude Briand-Ponsart et Christophe Hugoniot, ''L'Afrique romaine. De l'Atlantique à la Tripolitaine. 146 av. J.-C. - 533 apr. J.-C.'', éd. Armand Colin, Paris, 2005 *
Gabriel Camps Gabriel Camps (May 20, 1927 – September 6, 2002) was a French archaeologist and social anthropologist, the founder of the '' Encyclopédie berbère'' and is considered a prestigious scholar on the history of the Berber people. Biography G ...
, « Dougga », ''Encyclopédie berbère, L'Encyclopédie berbère'', tome XVI, éd. Edisud, Aix-en-Provence, 1992, pp. 2522–2527 *
Gabriel Camps Gabriel Camps (May 20, 1927 – September 6, 2002) was a French archaeologist and social anthropologist, the founder of the '' Encyclopédie berbère'' and is considered a prestigious scholar on the history of the Berber people. Biography G ...
, ''Les Berbères, mémoire et identité'', coll. Babel, éd. Actes Sud/Leméac, Paris/Montréal, 2007 *
Michel Christol Michel Christol (25 October 1942, Castelnau-de-Guers) is a French historian, specialist of ancient Rome, and particularly epigraphy. Biography Born in Herault, Michel Christol attended high school in Béziers then his university studies in Mon ...
, ''Regards sur l'Afrique romaine'', éd. Errance, Paris, 2005 * Paul Corbier and Marc Griesheimer, ''L'Afrique romaine. 146 av. J.-C. - 439 apr. J.-C.'', éd. Ellipses, Paris, 2005 * Jacques Gascou, ''La politique municipale de l'empire romain en Afrique proconsulaire de Trajan à Septime Sévère'', éd. CEFR, Rome, 1972 * Jean-Claude Golvin, ''L'antiquité retrouvée'', éd. Errance, Paris, 2003 * Pierre Gros, ''L'architecture romaine du début du IIIe siècle à la fin du Haut-Empire'', tome 1 « Monuments publics », éd. Picard, Paris, 1996 * Pierre Gros, ''L'architecture romaine du début du IIIe siècle à la fin du Haut-Empire'', tome 2 « Maisons, palais, villas et tombeaux », éd. Picard, Paris, 2001 * Christophe Hugoniot, ''Rome en Afrique. De la chute de Carthage aux débuts de la conquête arabe'', éd. Flammarion, Paris, 2000 * Mustapha Khanoussi, « L'évolution urbaine de Thugga (Dougga) en Afrique proconsulaire : de l'agglomération numide à la ville africo-romaine », ''CRAI'' (Comptes-rendus des séances de l'Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres), 2003, pp. 131–155 * Mustapha Khanoussi, ''Dougga'', éd. Agence de mise en valeur du patrimoine et de promotion culturelle, Tunis, 2008 * Mustapha Khanoussi et Louis Maurin, ''Dougga (Thugga). Études épigraphiques'', éd. Ausonius, Bordeaux, 1997 * Mustapha Khanoussi et Louis Maurin, ''Dougga. Fragments d'histoire. Choix d'inscriptions latines éditées, traduites et commentées (Ier-IVe siècles)'', éd. Ausonius/Institut national du patrimoine, Bordeaux/Tunis, 2000 * Mustapha Khanoussi et Louis Maurin [sous la dir. de], ''Mourir à Dougga. Recueil des inscriptions funéraires'', éd. Ausonius, Bordeaux, 2002 * Yann Le Bohec, ''Histoire de l'Afrique romaine'', éd. Picard, Paris, 2005 * Édouard Lipinski [sous la dir. de], ''Dictionnaire de la civilisation phénicienne et punique'', éd. Brépols, Paris, 1992 * Ammar Mahjoubi, Villes et structures de la province romaine d'Afrique, éd. Centre de publication universitaire, Tunis, 2000 * Guillemette Mansour, ''Tunisie, Musée à ciel ouvert'', éd. Dad, Tunis, 2007 (deuxième édition) * Sophie Saint-Amans, ''Topographie religieuse de Thugga (Dougga). Ville romaine d'Afrique proconsulaire (Tunisie)'', éd. Ausonius, Bordeaux, 2004 * Hédi Slim et Nicolas Fauqué, ''La Tunisie antique. De Hannibal à saint Augustin'', éd. Mengès, Paris, 2001 * Yvon Thébert, ''Thermes romains d'Afrique du Nord et leur contexte méditerranéen'', éd. École française de Rome, Rome, 2003 * Mohamed Yacoub, ''Splendeurs des mosaïques de Tunisie'', éd. Agence nationale du patrimoine, Tunis, 1995 * Collectif, ''La Tunisie, carrefour du monde antique'', éd. Faton, Paris, 1995 * Collectif, ''L'Afrique romaine. 69-439'', éd. Atlande, Neuilly-sur-Seine, 2006 * ''Il était une fois, Dougga...Tukka...ou...Thugga la Romaine'', éd. Alyssa, Tunis, 1993


Other languages

* Associazione storica Sant' Agostino. ''Africa romana: Douggha.'' Ed. Cassago Brianza. C. Brianza-Italy, 2009
Thugga la romana
* Mustapha Khanoussi et Volker Michael Strocka, ''THVGGA I. Grundlagen und Berichte'', éd. Philipp von Zabern, Mayence, 2002 * Mustapha Khanoussi, Stefan Ritter et Philipp von Rummel, « The German-Tunisian project at Dougga. First results of the excavations south of the Maison du Trifolium », ''Antiquités africaines'', vol. 40, 2004–2005, pp. 43–66. * Scheding, Paul (2019). ''Urbaner Ballungsraum im römischen Nordafrika. Zum Einfluss von mikroregionalen Wirtschafts- und Sozialstrukturen auf den Städtebau in der Africa Proconsularis'' [Urban agglomeration in Roman North Africa. On the influence of micro-regional economic and social structures on urban development in Africa Proconsularis]. Wiesbaden: Reichert, (with Dougga as one of five case studies). * Rainer Stutz, ''THVGGA II. Drei Hanghäuser in Thugga : maison des trois masques, maison du labyrinthe, maison de Dionysos et d'Ulysse'', éd. Philipp von Zabern, Mayence, 2007


External links


Portail sur le site de Dougga et sa région


* [http://www.archaeologie-alt.uni-freiburg.de/thugga Ausgrabungen in Thugga (Archäologisches Institut Freiburg)]
Thugga
University of Freiburg

Lexicorient
Dougga Site
UNESCO World Heritage
Dougga information
Dougga information
Photo
Dougga photo * {{Authority control Dougga, Phoenician colonies in Tunisia