Ancient Roman Public Latrine with Dolphin Decoration in the Ruins of Timgad, Algeria [630 x 696]

    by Mysterious_Sorcery

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    1. Mysterious_Sorcery on

      Roman ruins were found in the city of Timgad, located in Algeria 300 miles from the Roman capital at the time. Founded by the Emperor Trajan around 100 AD as Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi, it thrived as a piece of Rome in North Africa before turning Christian in the third century and into a center of the Donatist sect in the fourth. Abandoned and covered by sand from the Sahara from the seventh century on, Timgad was rediscovered by Scottish explorer James Bruce in 1765. But not until the 1880s, under French rule, did a proper excavation begin. One of the most interesting things about these excavations was having a glimpse into everyday life. Public latrines were constructed in almost every Roman town. These latrines usually had at least a dozen seats, though some were grander in scale than others. The Roman agora of Athens, for example, boasted a 68-seater. This facility in Timgad, the “African Pompeii” had fancy armrests or decoration in the shape of leaping dolphins.

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