Central West & the Tell
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© Lonely Planet Publications 150 lonelyplanet.com CENTRAL WEST & THE TELL •• South of Tunis 151 Central West History Tunisia’s most impressive in situ mosaics. After Rome defeated Carthage in the 2nd Photography is forbidden. century BC, the hinterlands of its new Afri- There’s a map of the site with a brief & the Tell can provinces were largely left to the Berber text in Arabic, English, French and Ital- tribes of the interior, most notably the Nu- ian between the tiny ticket booth and the midians, who accommodated Roman rule amphitheatre. even as they rebelled against it. The final Berber resistance to the Romans came at HISTORY The hills and mountains of the Tunisian Dorsale and the Tell – the high plains north of Jugurtha’s Table, the legendary stronghold The Roman historian Pliny mentions the the Dorsale that were the granary of ancient Rome – offer visitors a variety of enchanting where the Numidian king Jugurtha made town as a Berber settlement named Adys options far from the coastal crowds. his last stand at the end of the 2nd cen- and as one of the first Roman colonies in tury BC. In subsequent centuries, the area’s Africa. A major battle between Carthage The Romans bequeathed to this region a number of exceptional cities, now in ruins but Roman towns grew prosperous on the pro- and the Roman general Regulus took place rich in beguiling hints of their prosperous past. The undoubted highlight is Dougga, spread ceeds of agricultural production and served here during the first Punic War (255 BC). as staging posts along lucrative trade routes. Uthina, the centre of a fertile agricultural over an enchanting hillside overlooking grain fields and gentle hills. Also spectacular is After the departure of the Romans, the area region, was founded by the emperor Augus- Sufetula (Sbeitla), which has the feel of a Roman frontier town and is especially magical in slid into obscurity. tus at the beginning of the 1st century AD the early morning light. and settled with Roman army veterans. Like Climate many of Tunisia’s Roman towns, its pros- The Roman cities of Mactaris (Makthar) and Ammædara (Haidra) still evoke the sense of This region’s desolate terrain briefly comes perity peaked in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. luxury and isolation characteristic of more remote Roman outposts, and serve as poignant to life in spring with spectacular displays Christianity took a powerful hold here and symbols of western Tunisia’s lonely sense of having been left behind by history. of wildflowers. The summers are very hot, the town was home to many bishops but whereas the winters – particularly at higher declined after the Vandal conquest. Less than an hour from Tunis, the Roman cities of Thuburbo Majus and Uthina (Oudhna) elevations – can be cold and bleak. also present evocative ruins, though the majority of their most outstanding mosaics are SIGHTS Getting There & Around The best place to begin a visit is at Uthi- now in Tunis’ Bardo Museum. Jugurtha’s Table, almost on the Algerian frontier, is a remote, Even the smallest towns have at least one na’s highest point, the capitol, known locally hauntingly beautiful mesa where Berber resistance to Roman rule enjoyed its proudest hour daily bus, plus louages (shared taxis), to as Al-Kalaa (the fortress). Partly restored before being swept away. Tunis; Le Kef and Dougga (Teboursouk) stone steps lead up to five newly built, over- are especially easy to get to. Two trains a sized fluted columns. At the top, surpris- For fans of urban delights, the friendly city of Le Kef, guarded by a towering kasbah, day link Tunis with Kalaat Khasba, midway ingly, is an elegant – if run-down – French captures the Tell’s irrepressible spirit. With its cobbled streets, cafés that time forgot and between Le Kef and Kasserine and served colonial farmhouse. Constructed atop the panoramic hillside setting, it’s one of Tunisia’s best-kept secrets. Kasserine may not be by buses to both cities. capitol with supreme colonial arrogance, it CENTRAL WEST & THE TELL Every place in this chapter is accessible unintentionally juxtaposes two disappeared Tunisia’s most scintillating city but it’s a good base for exploring areas out near Algeria. both by private car and by public trans- empires – both speaking Latin or a Latin port of one form or another. Destinations derivative – that once ruled vast swathes of visitable on day trips from Tunis include North Africa. There are great views from Oudhna, Thuburbo Majus, Zaghouan and the farmhouse’s back terrace. HIGHLIGHTS Dougga. Le Kef is a convenient base for Below the colonial homestead are mag- Exploring glorious, golden Dougga ( p156 ), excursions to Dougga, Makthar, Hammam nificent vaulted chambers from the Roman perhaps Tunisia’s most enchanting Roman Dougga Mellegue, Jugurtha’s Table and Haidra, or Byzantine periods; underneath that there Hammam while Kasserine makes a good base for trips are more Roman chambers. site Mellegue Le Kef to Sbeitla, Haidra and Jugurtha’s Table. Vis- The former forum, to the southeast, is oc- Taking the waters like a Roman in remote CENTRAL WEST & THE TELL iting Haidra and Jugurtha’s Table by louage cupied by dilapidated colonial outbuildings Hammam Mellegue ( p164 ) on a day trip from either Le Kef or Kas- now used by the maintenance staff. Jugurtha's Wandering among the Roman temples of Table serine is one of Tunisia’s ultimate public South of the forum, at the end of an aq- Sufetula (Sbeitla; p182 ), magical in the transport challenges. ueduct that supplied water from springs at early-morning light nearby Jebel Rassas, are the remains of a res- Chilling in Le Kef ( p160 ), an atmospheric SOUTH OF TUNIS ervoir. Most of the water was delivered to a network of enormous arched cisterns 200m أوذﻧﺔ (أوﺗﻴﻨﺎ) (hilltop town with a proud multicultural history Sbeitla (Sufetula) Oudhna (Uthina Fascinating but little-visited, the ruins of south of the reservoir. Some have collapsed Hiking up Jugurtha’s Table ( p177 ), a ancient Uthina (admission TD3; h9am-7pm Apr– although others remain in remarkably good spectacular natural fortress in the middle of mid-Sep, 8am-5pm mid-Sep–Mar), near the village condition – huge, dank watertight rooms. nowhere of Oudhna, are about 28km south of Tunis. The jumble of collapsed masonry chunks Still being excavated, the site has some of east of the capitol mark the site of the main 152 CENTRAL WEST & THE TELL lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com CENTRAL WEST & THE TELL •• South of Tunis 153 Central West & the Tell 0 30 km CENTRAL WEST & THE TELL 0 20 miles public baths – nicknamed Touir Ellil (the bat Other options include taking a taxi from tunnel) – which were damaged by explo- Tunis to El-Fahs and negotiating with a To Ain Draham (40km); To Tunis (153km) Tabarka (65km) Bulla Regia sions while being used as an arms depot louage or taxi driver to take you to both To Oudhna (Uthina) (25km); Tunis (55km) during WWII. The subterranean level is in Thurburbo Majus and Oudhna and then Chemtou Testour good condition. A beautiful black marble back to Tunis – the whole trip should cost Jendouba s Thuburbo bust with a Libyan hairstyle, now in the about TD40. Ghardimao in ta Teboursouk Majus Oued n Bardo Museum, was discovered here. u Melliz o Dougga ﻃﺒﺮﺑﻮ ﻣﺎﺟﻮس M El-Fahs To the north, just north of the access road, Thuburbo Majus k Kalled Valley u o s Nouvelle To Zaghouan (30km); are the Baths of the Laberii, which take their Surrounded by shimmering wheat fields r u Dougga Hammamet (80km); o Nabeul (98km); name from the inscription on the lovely mo- and olive groves just like those that made b e Sousse (100km) T saic of Orpheus charming the animals, now its fortune, the Roman city of Thuburbo Majus 5 4 Jebel Dyr h (1084m) in the Bardo Museum. There are still some (admission TD31, plus camera TD1; 8.30am-5.30pm Zama To Kairouan (80km); Sfax (240km); Hammam Le Kef Minor fine mosaics in situ, including a delightful mid-Sep–Mar, 8am-7pm Apr–mid-Sep), 60km south- Mellegue Gabès (300km) 12 Jebel Sakiet Sidi Bargou one depicting fishers and fish. During the west of Tunis near the utterly skipable town Youssef Siliana (1268m) 5 T e l l Byzantine period the northeast part of the of El-Fahs, has a prosperous air – even in 71 complex was a pottery workshop and many its ruinous state. In the 2nd century it had 17 Jebel Ballouta Christian artefacts were discovered here. 10,000 inhabitants, the wealthiest of whom (1200m) The baths stand beside the remains of the tried to outdo each other by donating pub- Dahmani celebrated House of the Laberii, also known as lic buildings and fine mosaics; many of the El-Ksour Makthar Kesra the House of Ikarios (named after a beauti- latter are on display in the Bardo Museum Tajerouine Mactaris ful mosaic showing Ikarios giving a vine to (see p50 ). 12 the king of Attica), a sumptuous villa of So far, about 7 hectares of Thuburbo Kalaat Jugurtha's es-Senan Table over 30 rooms and probably the best house Majus’ (pronounced ma-yoose or ma-juice) Ain (1271m) in town. You can still see the remains of the 40 hectares have been excavated. You can Senan Haffouz Kalaat 85 Rouhia colonnade that surrounded a garden. All the get a sense of the size of the Roman town Khasba To Kairouan rooms were paved with mosaics, the most by looking for the three extant city gates, T u n i s i a n D o r s a l e (35km) Thala 71 exquisite of which are now on display – situated north, southwest and east of the Haidra Amædara where else? – at the Bardo Museum.