(modern Hammam Daradji)

Foundations

Ancient human occupation in the region is attested by the famous Kef al Agueb cave, situated about 5 km West to South-West of Bulla .This shelter dates back to the Neolithic age. The Dolmens situated to the south on a line of rocks visible from the site, are also ancient although they have not been dated with precision. The Dolmens, about a 100 in all, are tombs that were known in North Africa during the whole of the
1st millenary BC.
The date of the foundation for Bulla is not known but imported Greek ceramics dating back to the beginning of the 4th century BC have been found on the site.

3rd Century BC.

In the 3rd century, the city and the region of the great plains came under direct Carthaginian control; this domination was, however, preceded by a long period of human and economic exchanges. As a result, the inhabitants gradually became more Punic in their ways until they adopted the Punic civilisation with all its components: Religion, Language, and Script Funeral rites as attested by the votive and funerary stelae discovered on the site. The inhabitants of Bulla venerated Baal Hammon. They buried their dead in Punic style. The monuments on which figured Punic symbols: the capital on display in the first room of the museum must have belonged to a religious building, perhaps to a temple.

2nd Century BC

A town in the Bagradas (Medjerda) valley in northern Africa (Tunisia). It passed from the control of Carthage into the hands of Numidian princes- who established one of their royal residences there and then became part of the Roman province of Africa. It was not until 152 BC that King Massinissa "recovered the lands of his ancestors". The great plains were part of them. This marked the start of the Numidian period. It is to this Numidian period that Bulla owes the qualifying REGIA or royal that figures in Latin texts. The most plausible explanation, and also the simplest, resides in the fact that the city had an administrative role and consequently a status that distinguished it from other Regia cities. it might have been a regional capital like the chief town of a praefecture. In fact we know that the Numidian Kingdom was divided into regions and at the head of each there was a King representative. This title conferred upon it by political choice, seems to have been given to Bulla because of its geographical position, probably because of the rich land surrounding it. It was also during the Numidian era that the walls surrounding the city were built and only a few sections of them remain in the northern part of the site. Very soon after the destruction of Carthage in 146, relations between Romans and Numidians became closer. The long and peaceful reign of Micipa (MKWSN in Libyan and Punic inscriptions) 148-118 BC played an important role in the consolidation of human and economic war opposing the Numidian King Jugurtha to Rome.

1st Century BC

The city of Bulla was first mentioned by Latin classical sources when the pursuing Roman armies caught up with the Numidian king Hiarbas at Bulla where he had sought refuge (in 81 BC). Caesar rewarded the cities that had rallied to him or remained neutral during the civil war. Bulla Regia, along with other cities, became a free city from Augustus.

1st Century AD

The city became a municipium from Vespasian. In addition to the progressive acquisition of Roman citizenship, the city freely appointed the magistrates representing it.

2nd Century AD

The city became a Roman colony from Hadrian. This status meant that the Roman citizenship of its inhabitants became complete.

3rd Century AD

Bulla Regia profited from its strategical commercial location and from the abundance of grain in its territory, and benefited from the accession of the African emperor Septimius Severus (193-211), during whose reign at least one important provincial governor came from the city. Its archaeological remains are very substantial, including a forum, several temples, baths (still standing to an impressive height), a theater, and a number of private houses, some of which display an underground storey, to counteract the summer heat.

Fall of the Roman Empire

During the Byzantine era, the city underwent a certain amount of degradation. For reasons of defence, fortifications were built often at the expense of existing monuments. There was no hesitation to accelerate the deteriation of a pagan monument by taking the building blocks so to be reused elsewhere, nor to encroach on public roads. The tombs placed in certain houses provided an illustration of declining urbanisation.
This degradation starting in the 5th century, was further confirmed in the 6th century. Bulla Regia no longer deserved to be called a city. In modern times only a village stands upon that site.