Dougga was an important town of the Numidian kings and of the Roman province of North Africa. Built on a site of over 62 acres, 200 feet high in the hills of southwestern Tunisia, it was a substantial Roman town in its heyday.

A quiet, uncommercial site, the town’s capital, theatre, bathhouses and houses, complete with the original mosaic floors in situ, are highlights of Dougga.

History of Dougga

Dougga began as a Numidian royal capital known as Tocai or Tukka. It was the place of residence for the Numidian Kings until the first century AD. Despite being a residence for King Jugurtha, a former Roman ally who was executed for rebelling against Rome in a bid to expand his territory, the town held onto its independence until the late first century AD.

During the civil wars between Caesar and Pompey Magnus, it sided with Pompey and was annexed by Caesar after his victory. Dougga ceased to be an independent Numidian town and instead became a subject of Rome.

The town’s fortunes began to look up in the second and third centuries AD. In 205 AD, the town became a municipium or a provincial town and advanced further to achieve the status of a colonia or Roman colony in 261 AD. With just 5000 residents, Dougga wasn’t a large town, but it was prosperous, and its wealthy class flourished and spent lavishly embellishing Dougga with impressive architecture. Dougga’s Roman remains are extensive, including public buildings including twelve known temples, three bathhouses, and a circus. 

The town resisted the onset of Christianity, so there are few Christian remains. However, like other cities in the empire, Dougga began to decline in late antiquity, although it enjoyed brief revivals in the sixth century AD.

Some of the main features of Dougga include: 

The Capitol

Built between 166 and 167AD, the Capitol of Dougga remains roofless but otherwise intact. It is a fine example of a Roman temple to the Capitoline triad, found just down from the town’s theatre. The temple faces the Compass of the Winds square, a monumental plaza laid after the temple in 180-192Ad and so-called because of the twelve-point compass engraved into its paving. The road leading to the square still has its drains in place and is eroded with chariot ruts.

The temple is built of the local golden stone. It was dedicated to the Roman Capitoline triad of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Its 13 by 14 m cella was known to contain a 6.5m high statue of the Roman father of the gods. Unfortunately, this is lost, but the cella is in good repair, as is the portico of Corinthian columns surrounding it. Its four front Corinthian columns still support a pediment, complete with an intact but eroded relief.

The Roman Theatre

Although small, the Roman theatre is situated high up in the town in the bowl of a hillside. It offers excellent views of the rest of the city and surrounding countryside.

Constructed in 166-169AD, the theatre was relatively small, accommodating only 3500 spectators. Nevertheless, it includes some ingenious features. For example, the top part of the seating area includes earthen pots embedded in the walls to maximise the theatre’s acoustics.

The Houses of Dougga

Many examples of houses survive mainly in the lower parts of Dougga — all typically roman. Closed to the street, their interior peristyles provided air and light.

Most houses had a narrow entrance passage that opened onto a peristyle rather than an atrium. From here, guests could move off to reception and dining rooms that overlooked these garden areas.

One notable house displaying this arrangement was the House of the Trefoil. This, however, was not the usual private residence but a high-class brothel. Clients were entertained in the central peristyle garden and dining rooms before retiring elsewhere.

Dougga’s is unique in that its houses still maintain their mosaic pavements in situ. These are often well preserved and intricate and of the quality usually found in museums. They remain on the site due to the site’s remote location.

The Libyan-Punic Mausoleum

The only architectural feature from the original Numidian town is the Libyan-Punci Mausoleum. Dating to the second century BC, the mausoleum is 21 metres high and constructed in three tiers with a pyramid-shaped roof. Its dedicatory inscription, in both Punic and Berber, indicates its architect was called Abarish, who built the mausoleum for a Numidian prince named Ateban.

Resources

Romano-African Tunisia: 146BC-439AD. Ministere de la Culture

Tomkinson, Michael, (2005) Tunisia. Michael Tomkinson Publishing: Oxford.