Tunisia - Dougga / Thugga

Dougga/Thugga (1997)
Tunisia

Tunisia 1996. The Numidian Mausoleum of Dougga.

Tunisia 1922. Roman ruins of Dougga.

Before the Roman annexation of Numidia, the town of Thugga, built on an elevated site overlooking a fertile plain, was the capital of an important Libyco-Punic state.

It flourished under Roman and Byzantine rule, but declined in the Islamic period. The impressive ruins that are visible today give some idea of the resources of a small Roman town on the fringes of the empire.

Tunisia 1996. The Numidian Mausoleum of Dougga.
Tunisia 1922. Roman ruins of Dougga.

In its justification for inscription the UNESCO states that Dougga is the best preserved Roman small town in North Africa and as such provides an exceptional picture of everyday life in antiquity.

Recommended publication:

Ennabli, Abdelmajid. "North Africa's Roman art. Its future" in World Heritage Review n°16 , September 2000, pp 18-29

Sources and links:

Other World Heritage Sites in Tunisia (on this site). Please refer to the UNESCO-listing, Tunisia section for further information about the individual properties.

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