Volubilis - Morocco Historical Place - Travel & Discover

Not far from Meknes, a winding road leads from the town of Moula Idris to one of the great attractions for travelers to Morocco, the archaeological ruins of Voulubilis. Voulubilis was the powerful ancient capital of Mauritania-Tigitana, a region of present-day northern Morocco. The site's Neolithic roots date from its settlement by indigenous peoples, but the first substantial construction was begun by the Phoenicians, sometime between 1000 and 300 BC. The character of the ruined city, however, originates from the period of Roman domination, following the fall of Carthage. Morocco has one of the richest histories and cultures of any country in the world, influenced by centuries of diverse rulers. Among those rulers were the Romans, who spread their empire into Africa. Voulubilis was considered one of the Roman Empire's most remote and far-flung outposts. The imperial road stopped here, and despite successive attempts, Rome never managed to press complexes, Voulubilis' past survives in the ancient structures and gardens that are still standing, reflecting the richness of this once prosperous Roman state and adding another dimension to Morocco's immense, ever-evolving history. The House of Orpheus is a large complex of rooms that were once part of a mansion of one of the city's richest merchants. It is divided into public and private sections, each with a separate entrance and interior court. Visitors come first to the private rooms, arranged around a small patio. The splendid mosaics and colorful tiles that decorate the rooms are well-preserved. These ancient Roman mosaics adorning the floors of the buildings and houses depict wildlife and athletes, as well as scenes from mythology and everyday life. Voulubilis possesses four baths, the large baths of Calienus, the baths of the Cistern. These buildings were designed to accommodate a large number of people. This region's land is some of the most fertile in North Africa, and the city exported its wheat, olives and the wild animals hunted in its hills to Rome. Coming in from the entrance, one of the first sights is the olive press, reflecting the importance of this fruit to the The capital was built facing the Basilica in 217, on a headland that towers over the Basilica at Lepsus Magna, and was part of the Forum complex. During the Roman era, the Basilica was a large roofed hall, erected for transacting business and disposing of legal matters, though it also had religious functions. The religious purpose of the Basilica would come to dominate after Rome became Christianized, and to this day the term is used to refer to a large church. The axis of Voulubilis' Basilica runs parallel to the Forum, and has on the short sides semicircular apses, which form the end of the axis. On the left and right sides of the apses, we see quadrilateral rooms. The function of these rooms is not clear, but it is thought that they were used as archives or secretarial rooms. At the same time, its plan represents features of the early Italian Basilica or church. The façade is formed by an arcaded colonnade, which opens onto the Forum. These columns supported an architrave and a second floor around the central bay. The Forum of Voulubilis is typical of those of many other Roman towns, but with a population of about 20,000, its size was impressive. The columns still standing are more than high enough to dwarf most people. Voulubilis' stately homes with their peristals and pools were constructed between 40 and 285 AD. Their magnificent mosaics, numerous bakeries, and 100 oil presses attest to the thriving economy of this Roman outpost. Grain, together with olive and fruit trees, was the major agricultural product of Voulubilis. Wheat was ground on a daily basis, since large quantities of flour were not stored. Private homes used small, portable mills, though individuals relied heavily on bakeries to buy bread or bake the dough they had made. Each bakery had its own mill, as is attested by the presence of some 64 wheels found on the site. On the left and just before the Triumphal Arch is the House of the Athlete, also known as the House of the Acrobat. The House of the Dog got its name from a sculpture of a bronze dog, now on display in Rabat, that was discovered here. The House of Ephibis, just west of the Triumphal Arch, takes its name from the nude, ivy-crowned bronze sculpture found here. The many mosaics that adorn the rooms of the noble domus indicate the desire of the city's residents to beautify their living environment. Most often polychrome, rarely black and white, they consist of a central motif and a geometric and floral decoration. Overlooking the roofs of the houses in the western area, invisible from afar in the valley below, the Triumphal Arch was a symbol of the omnipotence of Rome and its emperor for the local people, as well as a testament to the vitality and prosperity of the city. This arch was dedicated in the year 216 to the Emperor Caracalla and his mother, Julia Domna. If the Arch of Voulubilis is a monument that reflects the taste of official Roman art, its style, and in particular its decoration, also reveal a provincial influence. The Arch is simple but includes some original elements, such as the theme of the Four Seasons, borrowed from Voulubilis' mosaics, which is represented in an unusual way, in the form of medallions accompanied by busts adorned with plants. Many of the remaining buildings within the city were destroyed by an earthquake in 1755, and during the same period some of its marble was removed for use in construction at Meknes. The mosaics decorating Hercules' house are well-preserved. Mythology was a fertile source of inspiration for the subjects depicted in Roman mosaics. The city's fountains and public baths consumed large amounts of water. Voulubilis lies at an altitude of 400 meters, on a triangular shaped fertile plain, bordered on both sides by two small rivers, Uedfertasa and Uedcomane. The majority of the population is thought to be of indigenous origin. Indeed, the city had already been settled for several centuries before becoming part of the Roman Empire. The Romans present at Voulubilis probably were represented only by a handful of senior officials, governors and officers installed temporarily in the city, along with a few merchants. A significant Asian community was also located at Voulubilis. This ethnic diversity, though limited, promoted the spread of local cults. It also reflects the prosperity of Voulubilis, which attracted people from distant provinces of the empire. This is the house of Venus, adorned with mosaics portraying a chariot race, a bathing Diana surprised by the hunter Actaeon, and the abduction of Hylus by Nymphs. Voulubilis' water supply was assured by the many springs whose sources were on the slopes of the Wadis. The growth of the city and the gradual Romanization of the local lifestyle made necessary the establishment of a complex hydraulic system. Towards the end of the 3rd century, the empire began to be threatened by the Germanic invasions and civil wars. The interior cities of Mauritania-Cingitana were evacuated by the Roman administration, and at Voulubilis, the withdrawal occurred around 285. Until the early 5th century, local people who had no reason to follow the withdrawal of the army and the administration continued to live in the neighborhoods constructed under the Romans. After this, the Roman way of life was gradually abandoned, the urban plan was rearranged, and the street pattern changed. The discovery of four Christian epithets was thought to confirm the hypothesis of a late Christianization of the city's population, though now it seems that a small community of native Altava and Oran had established itself at Voulubilis. For four centuries after the death of Tichitain, the people of Voulubilis had maintained some use of the Latin language and law, as well as the Roman civil calendar of the former province. The archaeological site of Voulubilis was included on UNESCO's list of World Heritage Sites in 1997 as an exceptionally well-preserved example of a large Roman colonial town on the fringes of the Roman Empire.