Dougga in Tunisia is a well-preserved Roman city that is off the tourist track.
The columns and arches of the crumbling Roman city loomed above us, its winding passages hinting at secret spaces. Below us, stretched the countryside, the slopes patterned with olive trees and dotted with the occasional dwelling. Not Italy, but Tunisia; a country more renowned for beach holidays and desert safaris.
Modern Tunisia is unmistakably Arab, but two millennia ago it was the heart of the Romans’ North African empire. Just 140 kilometres from Sicily, the region grew rich selling grain and olive oil to Italy and the cities were large and lavish.
Dougga, a couple of hours south of the modern-day capital of Tunis, was one of the biggest. The Romans usually built on flat terrain but here they took a pre-existing Carthaginian township perched on a hilltop and made it their own. The citizens built their homes in the lower reaches, while at the peak is a cluster of public buildings made of golden stone. These include a theatre, a market, and several temples, the biggest dedicated to Jupiter, the king of the gods. The only hint of an earlier age is mausoleum tower dating from the ancient African Numidian civilisation.
On a bleak January day we had the place mostly to ourselves, part from the odd donkey. We took shelter from the stinging wind and rain in an ancient bathhouse, tip-toeing around the edges to avoid damaging the still vivid floor mosaic. We were surprised to discover a motif of Swastikas, evidence of ancient contact between Rome and India and pre-dating the more sinister association.
Everything is in remarkably good repair, considering that the local people lived among the ruins until the early twentieth century. They now live a few miles away in Nouvelle Dougga, but many remain connected to the site through work. As the rain cleared, we saw a dozen men in Berber cloaks emerge from the stones and resume repairing the wall of the amphitheatre.
Dougga might be a little out of the way but it’s worth the effort. Some Roman ruins are one part scattered stones to nine parts imagination; Dougga is not one of them.
Need to know
Dougga is just over 100 kilometres from Tunis and possible as a day trip. To get there by public transport, take the bus from Tunis to Taboursouk and then transfer to a louage (mini-bus). There is a small entry fee to the site.
This article was first published in the Rough Guides Make the Most of Your Time on Earth book in September 2007. All rights reserved – please contact Caitlin Fitzsimmons for reprint permissions.
[...] nine articles online, so whether you fancy a virtual visit to Turkey or the Arctic, Shanghai, or Tunisia, you can find them all at the articles page. There are new articles being added all the time with [...]