Dougga / Thugga

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Thugga/Dougga: A Well-Preserved Roman Small Town in North Africa

Thugga/Dougga, located near Téboursouk in northern Tunisia, is a remarkable archaeological site that offers a unique glimpse into the history of North Africa. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997, this small Roman town stands out as one of the best-preserved examples of its kind in the region.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

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.

UNESCO Justification of the World Heritage Site

The Committee decided to inscribe this property on the basis of criteria (ii) and (iii), considering that Dougga is the best preserved Roman small town in North Africa and as such provides an exceptional picture of everyday life in antiquity.

Encyclopedia Record: Dougga

Dougga or Thugga or TBGG was a Berber, Punic and Roman settlement near present-day Téboursouk in northern Tunisia. The current archaeological site covers 75 hectares. UNESCO qualified Dougga as a World Heritage Site in 1997, believing that it represents "the best-preserved Roman small town in North Africa". The site, which lies in the middle of the countryside, has been protected from the encroachment of modern urbanization, in contrast, for example, to Carthage, which has been pillaged and rebuilt on numerous occasions. Dougga's size, its well-preserved monuments and its rich Numidian-Berber, Punic, ancient Roman, and Byzantine history make it exceptional. Amongst the most famous monuments at the site are a Libyco-Punic Mausoleum, the Capitol, the Roman theatre, and the temples of Saturn and of Juno Caelestis.

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