City Walls of Dougga | Dougga

The city walls of Dougga are a relatively late addition to the urban fabric of the ancient city. Unlike many Roman cities that were built with prominent and systematic fortification walls from their inception, Dougga’s walls came much later and reflect the shifting political and military realities of North Africa in Late Antiquity and the Byzantine period. The history of Dougga’s city defenses can be understood in several phases:

1. Pre-Fortification Phase (Numidian to Early Roman Period)

Period: Up to the 2nd century CE

Dougga was originally a Numidian hilltop settlement. It sat on a high plateau with steep slopes on three sides, providing strong natural defensive advantages. The site rises over 500 meters above the surrounding valley.

During this early period, no city wall was constructed. The terrain itself acted as a deterrent to enemy incursions, which was typical for many Numidian settlements.

As the city developed under Roman influence, particularly during the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, it became open and unfortified. Roman authorities relied on the Pax Romana (Roman Peace) and stability across the empire, especially in the provinces, to maintain order without the need for defensive walls.

2. Late Roman Concerns (3rd–4th century CE)

Period: Crisis of the 3rd century to early 4th century

In this period, the Roman Empire faced increasing threats, such as Berber incursions, internal rebellions, and economic instability. While Dougga itself may not have been fortified yet, concerns about defense were growing.

Archaeological evidence suggests militarization of certain public buildings or repurposing of older structures for protective use, such as closing off entrances or reinforcing gateways.

3. Byzantine Fortification Works (6th–7th century CE)

Period: Reign of Justinian I (527–565 CE) and beyond

This is the main period when Dougga received defensive walls and a fortified complex.

Under Justinian's reconquest of North Africa (after the defeat of the Vandals), the Byzantine administration implemented widespread defensive construction projects in key towns.

Dougga was partially fortified, likely not with a continuous city wall, but through a system of fortified enclosures, watchtowers, and protective segments built into the city’s most vulnerable flanks.

Main Features:

Byzantine Fortress (Castrum): Located in the southern part of the city near the main road. It reused stones and architectural fragments from earlier Roman buildings.

Wall Construction:

Built using large stone blocks, often recycled from temples, theaters, and mausolea.

Mortared rubble cores were sometimes added behind the facing stones for stability.

Some segments included square towers for observation and defense.

These walls did not enclose the entire city but protected key zones such as water sources, civic buildings, and access roads.

Tactical Approach:

Rather than surround the entire settlement, the walls were strategically positioned to cover Dougga’s most accessible or exposed points—especially the eastern and northeastern sides, where the slope was gentler and the city was more vulnerable.

On the western and southern sides, the cliffs themselves served as natural barriers, requiring no constructed wall.

4. Reuse of Monuments in Fortifications

In several areas, Roman funerary monuments and pagan temples were dismantled or incorporated directly into the walls—an architectural technique seen throughout the Byzantine world. This reuse was both practical and symbolic, marking a shift in political-religious authority.

For example, remnants of the Libyco-Punic Mausoleum and civic buildings may have been spolia (reused materials) in the Byzantine fortifications.

5. Archaeological Remains and Present Condition

Today, visitors can see isolated wall segments, foundations of towers, and sections of the Byzantine castrum.

These are generally located near:

The southern entrance road to the city.

The area between the Temple of Juno Caelestis and the Theater, where military architecture is evident.

The southwest corner of the forum, which likely served as an internal fortified point during Byzantine use.

The walls are modest compared to urban defenses in other Roman or Byzantine cities like Carthage, but they illustrate a pragmatic defensive response in a time of decline and uncertainty.

Summary

Numidian and Roman Dougga was not walled due to its strong natural position and long-standing peace.

Byzantine Dougga, responding to increased instability in North Africa, saw the introduction of fortification segments and a fortress to secure key assets and defend against raids.

The surviving fortifications are important as part of the Late Antique militarization of cities in the Maghreb and reflect a major transformation in the urban landscape of Dougga.

Though the city walls of Dougga were never grand or monumental, they represent a vital layer in the history of the site and help explain the region’s transition from imperial prosperity to local defense amid the fragmentation of Roman authority.