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Thesis

French

ID: <

10670/1.l8jguo

>

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The theatre of Bulla Regia in its urban context

Abstract

The theatre of Bulla Regia is one of the best preserved in Tunisia. Its study needs to take in consideration the monumental context constituted by the two "esplanades" situated to the south and the west and linked to it. The first part of this study concerns the theatre itself. It includes the surveys of the structures, a precise description of the remains, and the registration of the scattered blocs. It concerns the functioning of the monument and its architectural restitution. The monument have been interpreted and restituted by comparison with other well-known roman theatres mainly situated in Africa. The study presents restitution drawings in plan, elevation and section and a computing model. It has demonstrated the existence of two successive states. The limits and the caracteristics of the two states have been studied. The superposition of the new façade of the theatre with the north street is the consequence of an extension of the building. The second part concerns the study of the monumental context linked to the theatre. It begins by a technical chapter giving a key for the interpretation of the whole sector. It gives a clear definition and the caracteristics of the numid walls by opposition to the roman ones. This is fundamental to restitute the chronological evolution of the complex. The study examines afterwards all the temples situated to the south: it gives a whole survey of the remains, a study of the scattered blocs and an architectural restitution for each monument. A relative dating of these monuments has been exposed. It also has been proposed the restitution of a numid temple (temple B) according to the study of its remains and their iconography (representations on coins). In the last part, have been discussed three possible hypotheses concerning the probable function of the monumental complex (a great sanctuary, a great gymnasium in the Greek tradition or to consider that the first state of the complex corresponded to a palace). The complex would have included a residential part (esplanade B) and a sacred one (esplanade A) including the theatre. The results of this research overcome largely the interest of a study limited to a theatre. They in light on the function and evolution of a major part of the city and reveal the existence of a program particularly scarce in Africa (a royal residence). The study gives an accurate survey of the monuments and a deep interpretation of this complex. It does arouse important questions worth to encourage the realization of excavations allowing confirming and consolidating the proposed hypothesis. Its underlines the major interest of this sector and can favor the initiatives that would help its preservation and presentation.

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