The Mysterious Royal Tombs of Numidia [5:11]

Transcript
0:02 · After the Egyptian pyramids, the royal mausoleums of Numidia are the largest tombs
0:07 · in Africa. Much about them, however, remains mysterious – including who was buried inside.
0:15 · The mausoleums were built for chieftains and kings of the Numidians, semi-nomadic horsemen
0:21 · who controlled the fertile grasslands of what are now Tunisia and Algeria. For centuries,
0:27 · Numidian cavalry supported the armies of Carthage.
0:30 · During the Second Punic War, the great chieftain Masinissa become an ally of Rome,
0:35 · and helped Scipio defeat Hannibal at Zama. After the war, Masinissa united the Numidian tribes,
0:42 · and established a line of kings that would last for a century and a half.
0:47 · The tombs of the greatest Numidian rulers are complex structures,
0:51 · which borrowed architectural elements from Carthage, Greece,
0:55 · and Egypt. This video will explore the three most spectacular examples.
1:03 · In the vicinity of Batna, Algeria – not far from the ruins of Timgad – is this mausoleum,
1:10 · known as the Medracen. As you can see, it’s a vast cylinder, apparently inspired by the
1:16 · bazinas – burial mounds traditionally raised over the bodies of Numidian chieftains. The perimeter
1:23 · of the stone drum is punctuated by 60 engaged Doric columns, crowned by a Punic-style cornice.
1:33 · Though rather inexpertly restored a few decades ago, the structure is not in good
1:38 · condition – whence all the scaffolding along its walls. The funerary chamber,
1:43 · hidden deep within, was robbed in antiquity. The structure appears to be older than any
1:59 · other Numidian royal mausoleum known to us, perhaps as early as the fourth
2:04 · century BC. If so, it must have belonged to an exceptionally powerful chieftain.
2:23 · The most massive Numidian tomb is the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania,
2:28 · located within sight of Tipasa, Algeria. It resembles the Medracen,
2:34 · but as you can see it’s considerably taller. It’s also more Greco-Roman in appearance,
2:43 · with an engaged Ionic colonnade and false doors in the classical style. The apparently cruciform
2:50 · pattern of the door panels gave the mausoleum its medieval name, the Tomb of the Christian Woman.
2:59 · The entrance to the mausoleum is located beneath one of the false
3:03 · doors. The funerary chamber was robbed long before archaeologists arrived.
3:22 · This structure seems to have been the family tomb of Juba II,
3:26 · the Numidian king who governed Mauretania – roughly western
3:30 · Algeria and Morocco – on Rome’s behalf in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius.
3:48 · The best-preserved (or more accurately, the best-reconstructed) of all the Numidian
3:54 · royal tombs is located just outside Dougga, Tunisia. It’s been called the Tomb of Atban,
4:01 · since a man of that name is mentioned in its dedicatory inscription,
4:06 · but it’s more likely that it was a cenotaph for Masinissa.
4:10 · This structure captures the eclectic architectural origins of the Numidian
4:15 · royal tombs better than any other example. The second stage has Greek Ionic pilasters;
4:22 · but the pyramidal roof could have been inspired by Egypt, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, or both.
4:29 · Instead of trying to sort out which culture lies behind specific features,
4:34 · we should take this tomb, and all the other Numidian tombs, for what they are: unique
4:39 · products of a society that was simultaneously on the edges and at the heart of the classical world.
4:52 · Thanks for watching. If you’re interested in visiting the Roman
4:56 · ruins of North Africa and other historical destinations with me,
4:59 · check out the Toldinstone Trips page, linked onscreen and in the description.

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Transcript
0:02	·	After the Egyptian pyramids, the royal mausoleums of Numidia are the largest tombs
0:07	·	in Africa. Much about them, however, remains mysterious – including who was buried inside.
0:15	·	The mausoleums were built for chieftains and kings of the Numidians, semi-nomadic horsemen
0:21	·	who controlled the fertile grasslands of what are now Tunisia and Algeria. For centuries,
0:27	·	Numidian cavalry supported the armies of Carthage.
0:30	·	During the Second Punic War, the great chieftain Masinissa become an ally of Rome,
0:35	·	and helped Scipio defeat Hannibal at Zama. After the war, Masinissa united the Numidian tribes,
0:42	·	and established a line of kings that would last for a century and a half.
0:47	·	The tombs of the greatest Numidian rulers are complex structures,
0:51	·	which borrowed architectural elements from Carthage, Greece,
0:55	·	and Egypt. This video will explore the three most spectacular examples.
1:03	·	In the vicinity of Batna, Algeria – not far from the ruins of Timgad – is this mausoleum,
1:10	·	known as the Medracen. As you can see, it’s a vast cylinder, apparently inspired by the
1:16	·	bazinas – burial mounds traditionally raised over the bodies of Numidian chieftains. The perimeter
1:23	·	of the stone drum is punctuated by 60 engaged Doric columns, crowned by a Punic-style cornice.
1:33	·	Though rather inexpertly restored a few decades ago, the structure is not in good
1:38	·	condition – whence all the scaffolding along its walls. The funerary chamber,
1:43	·	hidden deep within, was robbed in antiquity. The structure appears to be older than any
1:59	·	other Numidian royal mausoleum known to us, perhaps as early as the fourth
2:04	·	century BC. If so, it must have belonged to an exceptionally powerful chieftain.
2:23	·	The most massive Numidian tomb is the Royal Mausoleum of Mauretania,
2:28	·	located within sight of Tipasa, Algeria. It resembles the Medracen,
2:34	·	but as you can see it’s considerably taller. It’s also more Greco-Roman in appearance,
2:43	·	with an engaged Ionic colonnade and false doors in the classical style. The apparently cruciform
2:50	·	pattern of the door panels gave the mausoleum its medieval name, the Tomb of the Christian Woman.
2:59	·	The entrance to the mausoleum is located beneath one of the false
3:03	·	doors. The funerary chamber was robbed long before archaeologists arrived.
3:22	·	This structure seems to have been the family tomb of Juba II,
3:26	·	the Numidian king who governed Mauretania – roughly western
3:30	·	Algeria and Morocco – on Rome’s behalf in the reigns of Augustus and Tiberius.
3:48	·	The best-preserved (or more accurately, the best-reconstructed) of all the Numidian
3:54	·	royal tombs is located just outside Dougga, Tunisia. It’s been called the Tomb of Atban,
4:01	·	since a man of that name is mentioned in its dedicatory inscription,
4:06	·	but it’s more likely that it was a cenotaph for Masinissa.
4:10	·	This structure captures the eclectic architectural origins of the Numidian
4:15	·	royal tombs better than any other example. The second stage has Greek Ionic pilasters;
4:22	·	but the pyramidal roof could have been inspired by Egypt, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, or both.
4:29	·	Instead of trying to sort out which culture lies behind specific features,
4:34	·	we should take this tomb, and all the other Numidian tombs, for what they are: unique
4:39	·	products of a society that was simultaneously on the edges and at the heart of the classical world.
4:52	·	Thanks for watching. If you’re interested in visiting the Roman
4:56	·	ruins of North Africa and other historical destinations with me,
4:59	·	check out the Toldinstone Trips page, linked onscreen and in the description.