The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites
Richard Stillwell, William L. MacDonald, Marian Holland McAllister, Stillwell, Richard, MacDonald, William L., McAlister, Marian Holland, Ed.

ZAQUI (Zaghouan) Tunisia.

A monumental nymphaeum at the foot of Mt. Zaghouan near the village marks the origin of an aqueduct (132 km long) to Carthage. A large artificial terrace is bordered by a U-shaped portico with Corinthian columns and mosaic floor; its rear wall is articulated by piers into bays, each covered by a cross vault. Semicircular niches in alternate bays must have held statuary. The portico is interrupted in its center by a square cella with an imposing stepped facade, a large rectangular niche and a barrel vault. The cult statue(s?) stood directly over the water source, which disappeared into an underground gallery and emerged at the foot of the terrace in a figure-8 basin with stepped sides. Construction, probably started under Hadrian, was finished in time to supply water for the great Antonine Baths at Carthage.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

A. Graham, Roman Africa (1902) 116-17; R. H. Chowen, AJA 60 (1956) 273-77; F. Rakob, “Das römische Quellheiligtum bei Zaghouan in Tunesien,” AA (1969) 284-300^PI; id., “Le sanctunire des eaux à Z.,” Africa 3-4 (1969-70) 133-176^PI; P. Romanelli, Topografia e Archeologia dell'Africa Romana (1970) 219-20^I; F. Rakob, “Das Quellenheiligtum in Z. und die römische Wasserleitung nach Karthago,” RömMitt 81 (1974) 41-89^PI.

B. S. RIDOWAY