Friday, October 16th.
We left the hotel this morning at 8, driving through the traffic of Tunis to reach the highway taking us west. As we drove Makram spoke at length about the country’s history, political problems, education issues (to be related in the summary later) and about the fields we past and what they grew there: wheat, barley, olive and fruit trees. After a couple of hours we arrived at the archeological site of Bulla Regia, another Roman town. Here we saw one of North Africa's most ingenious responses to climatic challenges. Here, wealthy Romans created an architectural innovation found nowhere else in the empire: luxurious underground villas (otherwise known as basements) designed to escape the brutal summer heat. Descending cool stone staircases into these subterranean palaces, we saw remarkably preserved mosaics and frescoes that have survived nearly two millennia. These aren't crude cellars but sophisticated residences with multiple levels, central courtyards, and elaborate decoration. The engineering required to create waterproof underground chambers, ensure adequate ventilation, and manage drainage demonstrates Roman technical mastery adapted to African conditions.The ruins were more complete with remnants of walls and houses, bath houses and the amphitheatre. Then we had lunch at a little diner at the car park. Back on the bus we drove to Dougga—UNESCO's crown jewel of Tunisian archaeology. Spread across rolling hills, this remarkably complete Roman city offers a glimpse into daily life in provincial Africa. The Capitolium temple, dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva, crowns the forum with imposing grandeur. From its steps, panoramic views encompass green valleys where Roman agricultural estates once supplied grain to feed the empire. The theatre, carved into a natural hillside, seats 3,500 spectators who gathered to watch comedies and tragedies under the African sky. We explored residential districts where Roman families lived in houses with geometric mosaic floors, private bathhouses, and shaded courtyards. The Cyclops Baths, House of Dionysos and Ulysses, and numerous other villas reveal how provincial wealth (from being the bread basket of the Roman Empire) created architectural magnificence rivalling Rome itself. We took a couple of group photos, one of which was all of us sitting in a Roman group toilet. Dougga’s preservation stems from its abandonment, when trade routes shifted, residents gradually departed, leaving this urban city frozen in time for archaeologists to rediscover centuries later. When we got back to the Belvedere Hotel we went for a really nice dinner at the restaurant right next door where I had the best lentil soup I’ve ever had. Then back to the room for the night.
