Our new host is, perhaps, the best known of all the chiefs of the Aures, owing to the proximity of his principal residence to Batna. He worthily bears his ancestral name of Bou-Dhiaf, father of guests. His hospitality is unbounded, and he has a very cunning taste in Bordeaux—a little Mohammedan peccadillo, which we certainly were not called on to condemn. He is of a very ancient family, and, probably not without reason, boasts of his Roman descent. It is one of his ancestors to whom Peyssonnel[73] alludes under the name of Sistera (Si-Sedira).
His official title is Kaid of the Oulad Daood, or of Touaba. The ride from Oued Taga to Timegad is quite a short one of about three hours, through a fertile country covered with Roman remains; the direct distance from Batna is not more than thirteen miles. We found our camp pitched in the very centre of the ruined city, which enabled us to devote every hour of our stay there to its examination. Our host remained continually with us, and we found him a most intelligent and genial companion.
Before proceeding with my own observations respecting this most interesting place, I will quote what Bruce says on the subject:—
Left Tezzoute December 11, and encamped at a Dowar about eight miles S.E. of it.
The 12th, in the morning, arrived at Timegad, about seven miles from the Dowar and fifteen from Tezzoute, situated on the south end of the valley, which is a little further bounded by Jebbel Magjibah, the mountain of the Weled Abdi, who have here alone twenty-three villages.
It has been a small town, but full of elegant buildings.
Designed the triumphal arch, and lay that night near the town in a Dowar of Lushash.
The 13th, designed the large Corinthian temple. The arch lies N.E. from it. The ruins of the amphitheatre N.W. Between the arch and amphitheatre are the remains of a temple, only a piece of side wall standing. Copied two inscriptions here.
A short time since two statues of finest Parian marble were found here, just under the pedestal on which the last inscription was. They appeared to have been Antoninus Pius and Faustina, the first in a habit of peace, but entirely mutilated. The bust of the Empress was entire, and of an exquisite beauty, which I did therefore design, and after interred in the hole which I had made to discover the long inscription of Martialanus.[74] Eight more pedestals were standing in their places, and probably the statues buried near them. By digging out one of these I found the pavement of the temple twenty-eight inches under the surface. It consisted of pavement of white and blue marble, cut in square tiles (slabs) of about ten inches every way, and half (an inch) thick. By several large pieces of calcined marble found here buried, I suppose one of the instruments employed in this temple’s destruction was fire. The heads, arms, and legs of these statues were broken off and burnt for lime. They were quite entire when first found.
The ancient city of Thamugas was situated at the intersection of six Roman roads. Two went through Lambæsis in the direction of Sitifis, a third to Diana Veteranorum (the modern Zana), two more to Theveste (Tebessa) by Mascula (Ain Khenchla), and a sixth northwards to Cirta (Constantine).