Dougga amphitheatre

Dougga Amphitheatre. Dougga, or Thugga (old Punic name) or in its original Latin name: Colonia Licinia Septima Aurelia Alexandriana Thuggensis, is located in the mountains, in the middle of Tunisia. It was originally a Punic town, which allied with Rome against Carthage and as a result of that was granted some degree of independence. Romanization started in 150 AD. Dougga became an influential agricultural centre, controlling important trade routes to the coast (Carthage). Dougga also has important marble quarries and fresh water supplies, which made it prosperous. Dougga became a Roman colony at the end of the 2nd century (at the time of Septimus Severus). The downfall began in the 4th century: Heavy Roman taxes and finally the Vandals caused the fall of this town and slipped it to oblivion.