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Utica's District of
Upper Utica
Praefectus:
Position is currently vacant
The acropolis of Utica, or byrsa in Phoenician,
consisted of a series of fortified heights.
The most elevated plateau of the city was the location of several
important features of upper Utica. Surrounded by ditches, there was an
enormous, walled citadel with towers at each corner. In the center
there was a beautiful building of Corinthian architecture, probably a
temple dedicated to Bel-Hamon. Livy speaks of this acropolis, and the
Roman historian Aulus Hirtius, who accompanied Caesar on his African
campaign, informs us that the fortifications of the citadel were
magnificient, that the walls were 20 feet thick and reached a height of
34 feet up to the battlements.
The amphitheater was a vast oval —it measured 360 feet on its
longer axis and 300 feet on its shorter axis— with a seating
capacity for 20, 000 spectators. The cavea was hollowed out from
the side of a hill, but all the masonry has disappeared over time.
An aqueduct constructed of cement and small stones brought drinking
water to Utica from a mountain situated seven miles to the southwest.
The water was delivered to a system of six vast cisterns located in the
upper city. They were parallel to each other and rectangular in form.
Under Hadrian, a new aqueduct was built, likely to supply the various
public baths that were also constructed then. The mountains of Tunisia
are still important sources of water, supplying 80 percent of the
modern nation's water.
Castor and Pollux, the Dioscuri, were especially adored in
Utica. Their combined temples were situated on the acropolis on the
more eastern of the hillocks. Unfortunately the tomb of a venerated
Muslim religious leader, or marabout, was built on the spot, and
no excavation is now possible.
Utica had its theaters, as any ancient city of relative importance
would have. One notable theater, likely dating to Phoenician times, was
cut out of the side of a hill. Its horseshoe pit is still plainly
visible, but the inclined steps are gone.
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For more information about the ancient city of Utica, consult these
resources.
An excerpt from Michael Grant's A Guide to the
Ancient World provides information about Utica and was posted at
The Regia by AW's QuintusCinna Cocceius.
image courtesy of
Senex Caecilius
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