Volubilis (city)

See also: Volubilis

Volubilis is a Roman ancient city located on the edges of Wadi Khoumane, river of the suburbs of Meknès (Morocco), not far from the Holy City of Moulay Idriss Zerhoun where Idrîs I {{er}} rests.

The name of Volubilis of the site would be due to the abundance of the plant. The Berber name of the city east Walili , Oualili , or Walila (Arab: rear walīlā RTL وليلى) which indicates the flower of bindweed. The city lived trade of the Olive oil. One finds in the ruins of many oil presses.

History

(The oldest vestiges date from third century BC).

In 42 ap J. - C., the Roman empire annexes the kingdom of Maurétanie Tingitane (of Tangier), after the assassination by the emperor Caligula of the king maurétanien Ptolémée. Volubilis became the regional capital of the Roman administration, with the statute of Municipe. That was worth to him the construction of a certain number of public monuments: basilica, forum, temple.

The Triumphal arch, dedicated to Caracalla to thank it for having given the Roman Citizenship to the free inhabitants of the empire (edict of Caracalla, in 212), date of 277.

Towards 285 the Roman civils servant left the area to be folded up on Tangier.

The withdrawal of the Romans also resulted in changes of lifestyle. The Aqueduc was not correctly any more maintained and the city moved: the inhabitants gave up the high parts to approach the river.

The invasion of the Vandales from Spain in 429 marked the end of the Roman period.

In 681, the Islam spread in all the the Maghreb. The Abbassides installed a garrison with Volubilis.

In 789, Idrîs I {{er}} a descendant of Hassan and `Ali, the son-in-law of the Prophet, flees to escape Abbasid persecutions. He settled in Volubilis, (Re) become Walila.

With the foundation of Fès by Idrîs II (808), Volubilis still loses its importance.

In 818, Volubilis accommodates driven out Andalusians of Cordoue. Those settle in edge of the Wadi. The Roman city is used as career for construction materials. The local guides tell that the site was completely abandoned only after the seism of 1755 in Lisbon.

Monuments

The most spectacular vestiges are the very many mosaic S decorating the ground of the rich person residences. Their conservation poses however problem: previously protected, they from now on are exposed to the sun, the wind and the visitors who can press them freely.

In 1946, the excavations made it possible to find bronze busts of which one appears Caton d' Utique. The excavated zones represent less than half of the site.

The ancient activity of the city is visible by the high number of Huilerie S and Boulangerie S identified on the site.

Some houses make it possible to perceive well the plan of these large Roman residences with their Atrium and Impluvium. One found several establishments of bath: four of Roman epoch with a Hypocauste, and a Hammam of the Arab period.

Volubilis attracts many visitors. The site is classified universal inheritance by UNESCO.

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • List of the world heritage: Archeological site of Plane Volubilis
  • of the site and the dwellings Plans of the Roman houses and reports/ratios detailed on the excavations carried out by the University of London and the INSAP, which are interested especially in the Islamic period.
  • Photographs going back to 1965

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