#cuicul

This altar (AD 2nd c.) stands in front of the Capitolium in the forum of the Mauretanian city of Cuicul (Djemila) The relief on the front of the altar depicts the sacrifice known as the suovetaurilia, which entailed the sacrifice of a pig (sus, but replaced by a cock in this relief), a ram (ovis) and a bull (taurus). The suovetaurilia was a purification ritual (lustratio) celebrated on important occasions.

Marcel Bovis. 

Djémila (Kabyle: Ğamila; Arabic: جميلة‎, the Beautiful one), formerly Cuicul, is a small mountain village in Algeria, near the northern coast east of Algiers, where some of the best preserved Berbero-Roman ruins in North Africa are found. In 1982, Djémila became a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its unique adaptation of Roman architecture to a mountain environment. Significant buildings in ancient Cuicul include a theatre, 2 fora, temples, basilicas, arches, streets, and houses. The exceptionally well preserved ruins surround the forum of the Harsh, a large paved square with an entry marked by a majestic arch.

#Roman ruins #cuicul #Djmila #Setif #Algeria

DJEMILA  ou CUICUL se trouve à 50 km de Sétif, dans l'Est Algérien. Cuicul  fut fondée sous le règne de l’empereur Nerva pour servir de garnison militaire. Implantée sur un éperon rocheux bordé par deux oueds, la ville a assis son développement sur la richesse agricole de la région .Le temple, l’arc de triomphe, le forum, le capitole, les thermes, le théâtre sont   bien conservés qui valurent à Djemila d’être inscrite au Patrimoine mondial de l’Unesco.

Via Flickr: There was a slight sand storm when we visited Djemila (ancient Cuicul) in 1984 - nevertheless, this is one of the most attractive and extensive Roman sites of North Africa.