In this episode, we retrace some of the best preserved sites of ancient Rome.
We leave early in the morning in direction of the archaeological site of Dougga, located at approximately 112 kilometers from the city of Tunis. The way will take us a little less than two hours. The landscape is spectacular the region being very hilly and fertile.
Dougga is an ancient Numidian city that came under Punic rule before being reconquered by the Numidian Berber king Massinissa around 200 BC. Dougga was integrated into the Roman Empire after the battle of Thapsus in 46 BC. Situated on the ancient road, halfway between the metropolis Carthage and the garrison of Theueste, the current Tebessa in Algeria, the city developed rapidly. The Punics seized the place because of the quality of the fertile lands of the place and the region would have even ensured the supply of wheat to Rome.
You can still see the remains of the temple of Neptune, but especially that of Saturn which preserves some columns. Although little remains of the hippodrome and the Temple of Minerva, one can still see the remains of the Roman cisterns that today house some of the remains of the site.
The ruins of Dougga are impressive and the landscape is breathtaking. We come across the Temples of Mercury, Augustus and Fortune, as well as residential areas. But Dougga's surprise is to find there a Forum and a nearly intact Capitol, a mecca of Roman civic life. The view from the building is exceptional over the entire region and forms the heart of an almost completely reconstructed city.
After our visit of the archeological site classified by Unesco since 1997, we set course for Kairouan, the religious heart of Tunisia. The journey is 148 kilometers on country roads, a journey of more than two hours.
Kairouan which was the first Arab city in North Africa. According to historians, al-Qayrawân would be a word of Persian origin which probably refers to the caravanserai. Thus, the camp of the Muslim conquerors became their capital in the 7th century. This is why it is often said that Kairouan is the fourth holiest city in Islam, the holiest city in the Maghreb.
Today, it is a city of 140 000 inhabitants famous for its wool carpets and pastries.
The Great Mosque is probably the most beautiful legacy of this period. A visit to this grandiose building is a must for the tourist in Tunisia. You should moreover cross many of them during your visit.
The city of Kairouan is also known for its huge water basins built in the 8th century under the Umayyads.
The Barber's Mosque, known as the Mausoleum of Sidi Sahab, is a Tunisian zawiya located in Kairouan, outside the walls of the medina.
#Kairouan #Dougga #Tunisia #Maghreb #Mosque
Réalisation : Nicolas Asselin
Montage : Nicolas Asselin
Production : Nicolas Asselin
#NicolasAsselin