North Africa's Roman Art

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Ennabli, Abdelmajid. "North Africa's Roman art. Itsfuture." in World HeritageNo. 16, September 2000, pp.18-29. UNESCO San Marcos

http://whc.unesco.org/en/review/
http://whc.unesco.org/en/review/http://whc.unesco.org/en/review/


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OST NORTH FRICANowns list-ed as part of the World Heri-tage predate the Roman Con-

quest. They nonetheless display astrong Roman imprint that can beseen in the remarkable remainsfound in so many places today. Mostof these towns were abandoned infavour of other sites at the end of An-tiquity, but this actually helped pre-serve the Afro-Roman urban and

and Mauritania when Rome's empireextended across all of the territoriesbordering the Mediterranean.

Rome imposed its own image ofthe city, which was to be adminis-tered quite independently followingthe example of the capital of the Em-pire. Governing administrations re-cruited from among the leading citi-zens exercised prerogatives and at-tributes within an urban framework

he excava ti~ns evealed theextraordinary wealth of the site

hage as well as the density of thelev ation over the centuriesof destruction

architectural character now ac-knowledged by their inclusion on theWorld Heritage List.

Djemila, Tipasa and Timgad in Al-geria, Leptis Magna, Sabratha andCyrene in Libyan Arab Jamahiriya,Carthage, Kerkuane, Dougga and theamphitheatre at E l Jem in Tunisia andVolubilis in Morocco are all listed sites.They are merely the most remarkablesites among dozens of others, moremodest or as yet unexplored, dottingthe former Roman provinces of NorthAfrica, pre-consular Africa, Numidia

that reproduced the Roman model.At the town centre stood the forum 'with the temples of the gods and, ofcourse, the Capitol, the political as-sembly halls including basilicas andcuriae, the public baths and build-ings for games and entertainment(theatres, amphitheatres, cir- Ac u s - h i p p o d r o m e s ) . ,There were also li -braries, popular andaristocratic privatehomes, an elaboratewater supply system

veying, storing and distributing wa-ter, public squares, triumphal arches,paved roads and an undergroundsewage system.

These sites, whose diversity re-sulted from their geographical andtopographical situations, were al lmodelled on the city pa r excellencethat was Rome. This i s apparent inthe town planning, the diversity ofbuildings, the architectural tech-niques, the frequent use of marbleand mosaics, the lavish decorationwith statues and the common use ofinscriptions commemorating the gen-erosity of the donors and the majestyof the emperors who presided overthe peace and prosperity of the in-habitants.

CARTHAGE,THE IDEAL MODEL

M RE SO THAN Tim- A-gad, createdby EmperorTrajan

with structures for con- I


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for his veterans with all the austerityof a military camp, Carthage offersthe ideal model of a Roman city. Es-tablished on the ruins of the razedI Punic city, this colony was a newcapital conceived by imperial archi-tects in accordance with Hellenisticand Middle Eastern theories. The so-called Upper City comprised a vastforum at the intersection of the De-cumanus Maximus and Kardo Max-I imus on the summit of Byrsa Hill,which had been reshaped at tremen-

t dous cost in labour. The four majordivisions were arranged around itand these were divided into smallcity blocks. Al l religious and politi-cal monuments, buildings con-ceived for games and entertainmentalong with public and private bathsfound their place in this networkand, according to their importance,they formed part of a single insula orcovered several blocks.

This strict application of the prin-

-n the preceding double page,-a Roman road at the Carthagearchaeological site, and an im~ressive

view of the amphitheatre at El ]ern,both in Tunisia.

Above, the ruins of the amphitheatreat Carthage.

Left, the TriumphalArch of Caracalla at the site

of Volubilis (Morocco).

in Carthage since there was a com-plete break between the originalPunic city and the later Roman city -a break spanning a full century(146-44 BC) during which the sitewas closed to any form of human oc-cupation.


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In the other sites, Romanizationwas a continuous process. In LeptisMagna and Sabratha, El Jem andDougga, Djemila and Tipasa, Volu-bilis and all the Phoenician tradingposts along the coast, where the Nu-midian and Libyan cities and locali-ties had been subject to Carthaginianinfluence, the Roman model was im-posed on the inhabitants who aspiredto citizenship. In order to becomecitizens of the empire, they had tocreate an urban landscape in the im-age of Rome. Fora were built, alongwith their Capitols, curiae and specificmonuments embodying the ideal of acity and its comforts. The cities, thanks

to the generosity of com-peting benefactors,vied with one an-

other in con-structingbuildings

and decorat-ing public ar-

1 eas. This modelr of a civilizationt devoted to the

well-being of itsinhabitants is ap-parent in the ves-

tiges of the Romantowns which, al-

though less impos-ing than Carthage,are more remark-

able for the exceptional state of con-servation of their monuments. Theyare generally found further inland. InEl Jem, Tipasa, Djemila and Volubilis,the monuments strike one by thescope of their conception, the quali-ty of their architecture and the beau-ty of their decoration.

In most cases, this model did notappear suddenly but developed grad-ually during the second and thirdcenturies as the cities grew and theirstatus rose from civitas to that of mu-nicipality or colony - making themeven more like Rome, which alwaysremained the model of the city. Withthe growth of the empire and the tri-umph of Christianity, the urban lay-out was continually changing, ex-panding or contracting as the monu-ments were restored or renovatedand put to a variety of uses. New ar-chitectural forms appeared such asthe Christian basilicas, the architec-ture of which was derived from thejudicial basilicas, though they wereoccasionally installed in pagan tem-ples or even in former public baths.Many monuments whose functionshad become obsolete disappeared.The Christian city gradually replacedthe pagan, transforming the monu-ments while at the same time con-serving the urban structure, whichgradually deteriorated and lost its for-mer splendour.

A THOUGH THE ARAB onquest didnot follow this identical pattern,there was nonetheless a break be-tween old and new. The establish-ment of the new civilization in theformer Romano-Byzantine provincedid not occur in a context of conti-nuity. Through transformation in theArab empire - Omayyad and laterAbbassyd -the cities adopted anoth-er religion and a different politicalsystem, which resulted in a new so-cial organization and a different kindof economy.

The entire system of small cities de- ,pendent on agriculture gradually de-clined and the towns eventually disap-peared. Only a few cities survived, butat the cost of total transformation; theywere also well situated geographically,it should be noted. Sousse, Gabes, B6-ja, Le Kef, Gafsa, for example, sur-vived because they continued to func-tion as places of passage and refuge.But other towns such as Al Qal'a ofBeni Hammad and Mahdia came intobeing only to disappear later alongwith their short-lived dynasties.

Conquered and abandoned at theend of Antiquity, Carthage gave way

Above, the Punic ruins on Birsa Hillat the archaeological site of Carthage

and, left, a magnificent columnexcavated at the site.

Above right, the great row of columnsof the Temple of Apollo in Cyrene

(Libyan Arab Jamahiriya), and below,an overall view of the coastal city

of Tipasa (Algeria).


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to Tunis, the chosen Muslim Arabstronghold destined to become thecapital of Ifrikiya, the successor toI he ancient province of Africa.Building materials were used from \the rubble of the former metropolisto construct and fortify the new city.Famous for the quantity and qualityof its materials, Carthage was ex-ploited for centuries by Tunis andother towns around the Mediter-ranean; pillars were torn down,blocks broken up, flagstones rippedout: everything was carried away

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Above, the baths at the archaeologicalsite of Dougga (Tunisia),

and the remains of a Roman villain Carthage.

Right, the Temple of Liber Paterdedicated to the god Bacchus

on the north-western flank of theForum Vetus at the archaeological site

of Leptis Magna (LibyanArabjamahiriya), and a mosaicat Volubilis.

and the levelled ground was givenover to agriculture.

CARTHAGERESUSCITATED

u DER THE FRENCH PrOteCtOrate,Cardinal Lavigeriefsambition wasto revive Carthage. The railway linelaid down across the site did the rest.Archaeological digs turned up remainsand objects, but land developmentgained ground and the few conserva-tion measures taken were insufficient,if not altogether inappropriate. Withthe return of independence, urbaniza-tion spread and the ancient site wasrapidly threatened with suffocationunderneath suburban residences.

The government came to the res-cue following a large-scale interna-

tional protection campaign spon-sored by UNESCO (1972-1 992).Teams of archaeologists and histori-ans from a number of countries tookpart in the campaign. The excava-tions revealed the extraordinarywealth of the site as well as the den-sity of the levels of occupation overthe centuries in spite of destruction.Since 1979 Carthage has been in-cluded on the World Heritage Listand in 1985, the Tunisian govern-ment passed a decree officially listingthe site and declaring it a NationalPark.

In 1991, the decision to create thepark was finalized. This was an emi-nently humanist choice by which thecountry opposed the inexorable ten-dency to urbanization and made acultural decision to reclaim its histo-ry - ts entire history - reaching back


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to the origins of the foundation of thecity at the end of the ninth century BC.That act of reclamation and identifi-cation of Tunisia today with its an-cient past stands as a new sign ofawareness.

In actual fact, it expressed Tu-nisia's commitment to protect, pre-serve and enhance the historical ter-ritory of Carthage, to undertake digsand research and to restore and ex-hibit the remains to its own peoplend to foreign visitors. The park in-

cludes all the stages of a complexprocess. The protection and improve-ment plan that has been drafted willhave to become the legal and regu-latory tools for protecting and man-ging the site in view of three basic

cultural and educational, envi-ronmental and social, and economic

touristic.

This is an undeniably ambitious conservation zone in the heart of aproject in light of the stakes involved, large conurbation. The northern sub-but it marks a political choice that urbs of Tunis have been overrun bymakes the ancient territory of planned and unplanned structuresCarthage a place of memory, with only around 300chosen as a symbol for - hectares of the Carthagin-contemporary Tunisia. ian site remaining as anThis representsa major L artificially green island,choice that will make 1 saved not by agricul-Tunis one of the few ture, but by archaeol-capitals to offer in- ' ogy and the state'shabitants and visi- decision to respecttors a huge park ihe great historicalembracing sci- i interest it repre-ence, cullure and sents if transformednature. i into an area forUntil recently culture andthe park area was relaxation.located near the It goes without say-suburbs, but today, 1 ing that undertakingdue to the city's ex- . such a project is diffi-pansion, it stands as a cult and involves risks.


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Right, the impressive theatreof Sabratha (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya);

the front of its exceptional stage consistsof three floors of Corinthian columns.

Left, the Capitol, seen from behindthe door of the Anonymous Temple in -

the city of Dougga, and (below)a general view of theAlgeriancity of Djemila.

The population, in its pursuit ofever more buildings, cannot readilyaccept that prime land should beprotected from urbanization. Specu-lators covet the site as well, and havesubmitted plans for 'cultural tourism'projectsthat would allow them to ac-quire land whose value has beenheightened. The state's decision tocreate a park requires funding andmakes completion a priority.

The case of Carthage should notprevent one from taking a look at thecurrent situation of other archaeolog-ical sites on the World Heritage List.Although their situation is not ascomplex or urgent, they are just as

tion measures may prove to be insuf-ficient. It is also essential to guardagainst threats by anticipating eventsand proposing alternatives.

There can no longer be any ab-solute safeguards as such. Agricultur-al improvements, widespread landdevelopment and land planning pro-jects devised by central or regionalgovernmentshave led to a blurring ofdistinctions between archaeologicaldigs and deep-ploughing the land forplanting, building developments orlarge-scalepublic amenities. There isa pressing need to stake out the lim-its of archaeological sites and to re-move them from development areas.


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For the nationally and interna-?ally important World Heritagesuch measures do not suffice,ce opinion now demands that theof the public domain with scien-and cultural vocation be im-wed and made available to societyother words, that it also serve a:tul purpose.Likeother sectors drafting land-usens and programmesfor land devel-lent, archaeological sites must be.rned by plans ensuring their pro-[Ion and enhancement. Only thelcess set in motion by actions thusommended will ensure the survivalhe sites by promoting their conver-Such actions may include exca-and land clearance, studies1 publications, consolidation andwork, not to mention theof remains and objects sothe public may appreciate theand, by developing awareness,and preserve them.

Ar RISK OF 1,OSINGTHE IR SOULS

A TUALLY GETTING these operationsand actions under way requiresmore than expert studies: funds in-vested must return a profit. Hereinlies the crux of the problem inherentin site enhancement funding.

In theory, archaeological sitesare public assets and thus come un-der the responsibility of the state.But since the state i s primarily en-gaged in crucial investment pro-grammes aimed at satisfying the ba-sic needs of the population, site en-hancement i s not the sole priority -far from it - and the sites may evenbe threatened by official large-scaleinfrastructure programmes. So theycannot be left as they are. Only en-hancement can provide a counter-balance in this situation. All themore so since improvements in lo-cal l iving conditions and the

tourism boom inevitably implymore visits to the sites.The problem of state financingmust not obscure the potential of fund-ing by international financial bodiesand multinationals concerned with theheritage recognized by state govern-ments and often by UNESCO as well.But if heritage falls merely into thefinancial domain, it wi l l be subject tothe same constraints and methods asother sectors and will have to func-tion in accordance with the principlethat a project must be profitable to be'bankable'. There i s indeed cause tofear that the financial criteria appliedin this realm may be those that capi-talism has already imposed else-where on natural resources.There is every reason to fear thatthose with the capital wi l l call theshots, selecting sites in terms of prof-itability and turning them into cultur-al products merchandised by meansof powerful communication and dis-


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mgad.re

Themonumental TriumphalArchwith three spans constructed in Timgad(Algeria)during the reign

of Sepfimus Severus, where inscriptionsdedicated to his son and successorCaracallamay still be seen,

and Punic ruins at the archaeological Isite of Carthage.


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~ I I Ymilitary, s u ~ne was more clea. ,

of influence uncE jem's listing iamphitheatre.nd Leptis Magnamaritime citit

in olive groves. Leptis Magna, home town of Empercbenefited from imperial generosity that endoweu

with imposing architectural decoration. Buried beneathsands, it escaped pillage; having been gradually

t l s remains arc and er~ced.El Jem

great amphittown. This is the most striking sign of the pro!of a town whose archaeological riches, particularly

mosaics, are still being uncovered. It owed its prosper-to a location in the centre of an olive-growing regior

d it was enc 1 a net\ < of roads reachinmany different i the Sahelwas export--'Dougga (fcbuilt : ~rd ingo an orthogonal plan; instl

to the nature of the terrain with traffic 1channelled and with the monuments arr3nnthe Capitol. The four grooved pillars su

pediment of this monu nt still domin,

ribution networks - o the exclusionof all other considerations, as is al-ready the case with other products.

Sites on the World Heritage Listalready represent an attractive, high

. quality and extremely varied selec-tion of 'quality-controlled products''hat need only to be taken in hand..'his sort of management threatens toturn into an actual domination ofheritage which, once it becomes acommercial product, is in danger .oflosing its soul. Heritage is not mer-chandise. It embodies the identity ofa country and a people and remains avehicle for precious values whoseideological and emotional content is

diffuse. It is obviouse scant interest heri-

tage survival arouses at the momentand the excess of zeal that one daythreatens to become out-and-out ex-ploitation, the future of world cultur-al heritage remains uncertain. To-day, things are moving at an ever-faster pace. This i s more than suffi-cient reason for UNESCO and theWorld Heritage Committee, guidedby the principles commanding theirfoundation, to remain attentive tothe fate of the only area that has no tyet been absorbed into the worldeconomic system.

r\dTHOR: ABDELMAJIDENNABLlCurator of the Carthage siteand its Museum

Documents

North Africa's Roman Art