Thugga on Gardens of the Roman Empire

House of the Trifolium (Maison du Trifolium)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

Early 3rd century CE

Garden Description

This house is the largest excavated to-date at Thugga. It appears to date from the first half of the 3rd century. The rooms on the ground floor were arranged around a large court, which was more than 5 m lower than the street. A garden occupied the center of the court which is enclosed by a portico on its four sides, the columns of which, carved with plaster and connected by a balustrade ought to have supported a wooden frame. The porticos were paved with mosaics. The 3 doors of the oecus open onto the W portico, in front of which between two pilasters was a semi-circular pool projecting into the garden. This basin was decorated with a mosaic representing fish today destroyed. The oecus opens on the N onto a large room in the form of a trifolium.

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of House of the Trifolium (Portail internet de Dougga, Ministère de la culture et de la sauvegarde du patrimoine, http://www.dougga.rnrt.tn/file/plan_maison_trifolium.pdf)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia roman, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, pp.274-276. (worldcat)
Hiesel, G., Strocka, V. M., "Vorberchicht Über die Grabungen 1996-2000", in Thugga, I, Grundlagen und Bericht, Ed. M. Kanoussi, V. M. Strocka, pp. 75-76, 78, Abb. I
Poinssot, C., Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1958, p. 53: plan, général n°18. (worldcat)
Plan from http://www.dougga.rnrt.tn/file/plan_maison_trifolium.pdf

Keywords

House of Venus (Maison de Venus)

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

3rd-5th century CE?

Garden Description

The house of Venus is located at the S of the capitol and is adjacent to the temple of Caracalla's victory. The house is laid out on two levels. The peristyle garden and the main reception rooms are located on the higher level. A large rectangular pool (V, 2.80x5.45m.) filled most of the space of the garden.

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of the House of Venus (CMGR, VII-1, PL. LXXXVIII)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, pp.266-267. (worldcat)
Jeddi, N., CMGR,VII-1, 1999, pp. 211-232, PL. LXXXVIII

Keywords

Sanctuary B, the templa Concordiae

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

117-138 CE

Garden Description

Sanctuary B, the templa Concordiae (117-138 CE), is a monument from the time of Hadrian dedicated to several deities, four of whom are known from the texts: Concordia, Frugifer, Liber Pater and Neptune. The complex is distinguished from the other cult complexes of the city by the integration of a sacred theater. The sanctuary comprises a courtyard surrounded by a quadriportico on which five cellae opened to the northwest. The largest and most elaborate, that dedicated to Concord, is located on the axis of the building and its extension in the theater below. This axiality is expressed by a central aisle that leads from the western portico to the altar located in the center of the courtyard. The area was not paved; one can imagine that it was planted as a garden whose vegetation formed a green setting around the altar.

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of the Sanctuary B, the templa Concordiae

Credit: (From Aounallah, S., Golvin, J.-C. (dir.) 2016, p. 505, fig. 44)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Aounallah, S., Golvin, J.-C. (Dir.), Ben Rhomdane, H., Brouquier-Reddé, V., Chehidi, M.A., Ghaki, M., Khanoussi, M., Maurin, L., Saint-Amans, S., Dougga, Études d'architecture religieuse 2. Les sanctuaires du forum, du centre de l'agglomération et de la Grande rue courbe (Mémoires, 42), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions, 2016, p. 440, fig. 86. (worldcat)
Malek, A.-A., "Le jardin dans les sanctuaires du Maghreb romain, premières approches", in Du culte aux sanctuaires : l'architecture religieuse dans l'Afrique romaine et byzantine, Brouquier Reddé, V., Baratte, Fr., Rocca E. (dir.), Paris, de Boccard, coll. Orient et Méditerranée, 2018, pp. 213-230, p. 360, pl. 10. (worldcat)

Keywords

The anonymous sanctuary, Dar Lachheb

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

184-187 CE

Garden Description

The anonymous sanctuary, called Dar Lachheb (184-187 CE), located about fifty meters below the forum, is of African type. In line with the entrance to the complex, a large cella with an apse opens onto the northern gallery of the triplex porticus that frames the courtyard. The courtyard consists of four symmetrical, rectangular spaces of equal dimensions, probably planted and enclosed by solid stone balustrades. The enclosure of areas of greenery in the worship space is similar to the sanctuary of Minerva 2

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of the anonymous sanctuary, Dar Lachheb

Credit: (From Aounallah, S., Golvin J.-C. (dir.) 2016, p. 440, fig. 86)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Aounallah, S., Golvin, J.-C. (Dir.), Ben Rhomdane, H., Brouquier-Reddé, V., Chehidi, M.A., Ghaki, M., Khanoussi, M., Maurin, L., Saint-Amans, S., Dougga, Études d'architecture religieuse 2. Les sanctuaires du forum, du centre de l'agglomération et de la Grande rue courbe (Mémoires, 42), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions, 2016, p. 440, fig. 86. (worldcat)
Brouquier-Reddé, V., Chehidi, M.A., Ghaki M., Khanoussi M., Maurin L., Saint-Amans S., Dougga, Études d'architecture religieuse 2. Les sanctuaires du forum, du centre de l'agglomération et de la Grande rue courbe (Mémoires, 42), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions, 2016 pp. 393-476, fig. 29-32, 86. (worldcat)
Malek, A.-A., "Le jardin dans les sanctuaires du Maghreb romain, premières approches", in Du culte aux sanctuaires : l'architecture religieuse dans l'Afrique romaine et byzantine, Brouquier Reddé, V., Baratte, Fr., Rocca E. (dir.), Paris, de Boccard, coll. Orient et Méditerranée, 2018, pp. 213-230, 364, pl. 14. (worldcat)

Keywords

The sanctuary of Caelestis

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

222-235 CE

Garden Description

The sanctuary of Caelestis, installed on the north-western outskirts of the city, was built on a sizeable plot of land allocated to it by its commissioner during the reign of Severus Alexander (222-235). This sanctuary is distinguished by its semi-circular shape. Its Corinthian temple, peripteral and hexastyle, rises in the center of the courtyard on a podium reached by a staircase of eleven steps. A wide paved esplanade which spreads out in front of the temple. The complex is united by a central axis, which runs through the esplanade, to the staircase, through the entrances to the temple, whose altar was probably installed on this alignment. The remaining space of the unpaved courtyard was probably planted. This peripteral temple is reminiscent of the temple of Hephaestus on the Agora in Athens.

Plans

Fig. 1: Plan of the sanctuary of Caelestis

Credit: (From Golvin, J.-C., Khanoussi, M. (dir.) 2005, p. 181, fig. 171])

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Golvin, J.-C., Khanoussi, M. (dir.), Dougga, études d'architecture religieuse. Les sanctuaires desVictoires de Caracalla, de « Pluton » et de Caelestis (Mémoires, 12), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions, 2005, pp. 99-182, fig.1, 21, 157, 171-172. (worldcat)
Malek, A.-A., "Le jardin dans les sanctuaires du Maghreb romain, premières approches", in Du culte aux sanctuaires : l'architecture religieuse dans l'Afrique romaine et byzantine, Brouquier Reddé, V., Baratte, Fr., Rocca E. (dir.), Paris, de Boccard, coll. Orient et Méditerranée, 2018, pp. 213-230, p. 366, pl. 16. (worldcat)

Keywords

The sanctuary of Minerva 2

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

138-161 CE

Garden Description

The sanctuary of Minerva 2, (138-161 CE), built later than the templa Concordiae, presents a very different configuration. The cella, projecting outwards from the courtyard lined with porticoes, is built on a very high podium whose summit corresponded to the level of the peribolus roof and to which access was gained by a monumental staircase. The temple, by its insertion in the topography of the site, seems to emerge from the cliff into which it was embedded. The approach was a long allée bordered on both sides by planting beds that emphasized the perspective centered on the cella. An open-air ambulatio, bordered by a balustrade, ran alongside the porticoes and the staircase, restricting access into the planted areas. Located on the outskirts of the city, one can imagine that the temple nestled in the cliff, perhaps surrounded by trees. The vegetation thus embraced the sanctuary as a whole and framed the altar located on the axial path leading to the temple.

Plans

Fig.1 Plan of the sanctuary of Minerva 2

Credit: (From Saint-Amans, S., 2004, p. 216, fig. 2a)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Malek, A.-A., "Le jardin dans les sanctuaires du Maghreb romain, premières approches", in Du culte aux sanctuaires : l'architecture religieuse dans l'Afrique romaine et byzantine, Brouquier Reddé, V., Baratte, Fr., Rocca E. (dir.), Paris, de Boccard, coll. Orient et Méditerranée, 2018, pp. 213-230, p. 364, pl. 14. (worldcat)
Saint-Amans, S. "Topographie religieuse de Thugga (Dougga)"", in Ville romaine d'Afrique proconsulaire (Tunisie), (Scripta Antiqua, 9), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions 2004, pp. 340-341, p. 216, fig. 2a. (worldcat)

Keywords

The sanctuary of the Victories of Caracalla

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

214 CE

Garden Description

The sanctuary of the Victories of Caracalla, situated in the southwest of the forum, was built in a residential area in 214 CE on a particularly cramped and steep site. Its urban and topographical situation conditioned its architecture. It is accessed by a lateral staircase, built onto bedrock, which leads to a courtyard, without a portico due to the lack of space. Its layout is similar to that of the sanctuaries of Minerva 2 and Dar Lachheb, with the cross-shaped layout of the paths that delimit four quadrangular spaces, probably planted, located at each corner of the courtyard, and bordered by solid balustrades, also in stone. A staircase of nine steps leads to the tetrastyle temple in antis and pseudo-peripteral which occupies the full width of the sanctuary. This example attests to the desire to introduce vegetation when space was lacking; could this be an indication of the role given to plants in certain cult spaces?

Plans

Fig.1: Plan of the sanctuary of the Victories of Caracalla

Credit: (From Golvin, J.-C., Khanoussi M. (dir.) 2005, p. 41, fig. 17. http://www.dougga.rnrt.tn/file/restitution_sanctuaire_caracalla.pdf))

Images

Fig.2: Cross section of the courtyard (A-A') (http://www.dougga.rnrt.tn/file/restitution_sanctuaire_caracalla.pdf)

Fig.3: Cross section of the courtyard (B-B') (http://www.dougga.rnrt.tn/file/restitution_sanctuaire_caracalla.pdf)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Golvin J.-C., Khanoussi M. (dir.), Dougga, études d'architecture religieuse. Les sanctuaires desVictoires de Caracalla, de « Pluton » et de Caelestis (Mémoires, 12), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions, 2005, pp. 33-77, fig. 17, 64. (worldcat)
Malek, A.-A., "Le jardin dans les sanctuaires du Maghreb romain, premières approches", in Du culte aux sanctuaires : l'architecture religieuse dans l'Afrique romaine et byzantine, Brouquier Reddé, V., Baratte, Fr., Rocca E. (dir.), Paris, de Boccard, coll. Orient et Méditerranée, 2018, pp. 213-230, p. 364, pl. 14. (worldcat)
Sections from http://www.dougga.rnrt.tn/file/restitution_sanctuaire_caracalla.pdf

Keywords

Theater

Wed, 21 Apr 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

1st-2nd century CE

Garden Description

At the rear of the theater is a xystis known from the dedication inscription (CIL VIII 26606, 26608). The word xystis probably corresponds to the portico and the semi-circular garden space that develops behind the stage building.

Plans

Fig.1 Plan of the Temple(Les ruines de Dougga, p. 53, plan général n°18)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Maurin, L., "Remarques sur la topographie rurale et urbaine du pagus et de la ciuitas de Thugga (Dougga, Tunisie)", in Hommes, cultures et paysages de l'Antiquité à la période moderne : Mélanges offerts à Jean Peyras, Rennes, Presses universitaires de Rennes, 2013. (worldcat)
Poinssot, C., Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1958, n°18, p. 53: plan, général n°18. (worldcat)

Keywords

House of Omnia Tibi Felicia (Maison Omnia Tibi Felicia)

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

1st-2nd century CE

Garden Description

The courtyard of the peristyle, which was paved with mosaics, was lined with built-in stone planters.

Images

Fig. 1: Plan of the House Omnia Tibi Felicia

Credit: (Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1958, p 45.)

Bibliography

Aounallah, S., Golvin, J.-C. (Dir.), Ben Rhomdane, H., Brouquier-Reddé, V., Chehidi, M.A., Ghaki, M., Khanoussi, M., Maurin, L., Saint-Amans, S., Dougga, Études d'architecture religieuse 2. Les sanctuaires du forum, du centre de l'agglomération et de la Grande rue courbe (Mémoires, 42), Bordeaux : Ausonius Éditions, 2016, p. 440, fig. 86. (worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, p.268. worldcat
Poinssot, C., Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1958, p 45. n°13(worldcat)
Poinssot, C., Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1983 worldcat

Keywords

House of the Two Fountains (Maison aux deux Fontaines)

Tue, 10 Nov 2020 00:00:00 +0000

Dates

Unspecified

Garden Description

This house in the W of the market may have had a peristyle garden enclosed by a portico on four sides; the possible garden had two shallow semicircular basins.

Images

Fig.1 Plan of House of the Two Fountains

Bibliography

Poinssot, C., Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1958, p. ???(worldcat)
C. Poinssot, Les ruines de Dougga, Tunis, 1983(worldcat)
Bullo, S., Ghedini, F., Amplissimae atque ornatissimae domus: l'edilizia residenziale nelle città della Tunisia romana, Rome: Edizioni Quasar, 2003, p.264-265. (worldcat)