We had been in Morocco for two weeks, and this would be our last full day. Our journey had started in Marrakech, also known as the Red City, where the Medina bustles and you can find storytellers and snake charmers in the main square. We then opted to get into a more relaxed atmosphere, so we ventured south to Imlil, a valley in the High Atlas. Here, we enjoyed the outdoors and some nice walks and the labyrinthine trails that connect the villages. From Imlil, we took a very long day on the train to arrive in the ancient city of Fes, where even the “new town” is as old as the year 1276. While our time in Fes had been short, we opted for a night in the less hectic city of Meknes.
For our final day in this region, we saved the better part of five hours to enjoy a last deep dive into history: the ancient Roman city of Volubilis.
Volubilis: Rome’s Outpost in North Africa
Volubilis is an ancient Roman city located near Meknes, Morocco, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It’s renowned for its remarkably well-preserved ruins, showcasing Roman urban development on the edge of the Roman Empire and the intricate interaction between Roman colonizers and indigenous cultures.
Volubilis served as an administrative center for the Roman province of Mauretania Tingitana. It wasn’t just a military outpost; it was also an agricultural hub, particularly known for its olive oil production, which sustained the Roman presence in the region.
Ancient Ruins in Volubilis
The relationship between the Romans and the indigenous Berber people was complex. While the Romans established their cities and imposed their governance, there was a degree of cultural exchange and assimilation. Many Berbers adopted Roman customs, language, and even citizenship, especially in urban centers like Volubilis. However, Berber communities in the surrounding rural areas largely maintained their distinct cultural identity and resistance, particularly after the decline of Roman authority. This blend and occasional friction defined life at the empire’s fringes.
Our Visit: How to See the Ancient Ruins
Since we were limited on time, we opted for a private taxi for this excursion. The taxi was a bit expensive at 400 dirham (~40 Euros), but we had a train to Casablanca to catch later in the day.
Given a more flexible timeline, you can opt to take a public bus to the nearby city of Moulay Idriss and consider walking or local transport from there. If we had the full day and weren’t flying out the next morning, that would have been my preferred approach. Pulling up to Volubilis, we were struck by how much is preserved.
As we entered the area, I used my trusty, yet dated, Lonely Planet guide to help deliver some background to the sites we passed. Essentially, the Volubilis remains are in a very large “L” shape. You can start at one end of the site without it making much difference to your route or experience. There were also placarded signs often to feed you tidbits of information along with the names of specific structures and houses.
We saw folks in larger groups who likely came over on a day trip from Fes, and I am of the understanding that there are some guides that float around the ticket office. However, I did not see anyone trying to buy our business this day. While the Lonely Planet was a nice supplement, I do think that a guide would have been very helpful to truly bring the stories to life, especially if you love history as much as me.
Main Sites to Explore in Volubilis:
Volubilis is a very large site, and while we had limited time, some areas truly stood out. Here are some of the main sites you should aim to see, particularly noting the stunning mosaics. As you approach the site, we started to the left and worked our way around the “L” shape.
House of Orpheus: Named for its well-preserved mosaic depicting Orpheus charming animals and birds with his lyre, this large house offers a glimpse into aristocratic Roman life. The mosaic is set on the floor of the dining room, where guests of ancient time would had relaxed and dined at the very prestigious house.
Baths of Gallienus: Public baths that highlight Roman engineering and social customs. There were at least three sets of public baths at Volubilis. You can still see the separate rooms for cold, warm, and hot baths, as well as the pipes that interconnect them.
Olive Presses: Numerous olive presses across the site attest to Volubilis’s significant role in olive oil production, its main economic driver. Probably not my picture picture, but this is a reconstructed olive press that is on-site amongst others that are only remains. Olive oil was central to the life of the city, as it was not just a foodstuff but was also used for lamps, bathing and medicines, while the pressed olives were fed to animals or dried out and used as fuel for the bathhouses.
Capitol Temple: Adjacent to the Basilica, this temple was dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva (each having their own separate chambers of worship), the Roman pantheon’s main deities. Steps lead up to its elevated platform, offering commanding views. The temple was built in 217 CE during the reign of Emperor Macrinus and serves as a central point for Roman administrative works and ceremonial functions.
Basilica: Located in the civic center, this large public building served as a court of justice and a meeting place for merchants. Overlooking the Forum, this was the court of law and the seat of the magistrates and was constructed between 193 and 235 CE.
The Civil Basilica of Volubilis and a Sample Placard
The Forum: The central public space of the city, surrounded by public buildings and used for gatherings and markets. The paved forum would have had numerous statues of emperors and local dignitaries of which only the pedestals now remain.
House of the Dog: Named for a bronze dog statue in its peristyle, the house follows a traditional Roman layout where all rooms open onto this central courtyard.
Triumphal Arch of Caracalla: This iconic arch, built in 217 CE by the council of Volubilis, stands majestically at the end of the main street, the Decumanus Maximus. It commemorates Emperor Caracalla and his mother, Julia Domna, who were of Syrian descent.
House of the Labors of Hercules: This mosaic illustrates the twelve arduous labors undertaken by the demigod Hercules, a penance imposed for the tragic killing of his wife and children. It adorned the triclinium (dining room) of the residence known as the House of the Labours of Hercules, an estate with 41 rooms.
House of the Cavalier: Contains a mosaic of a cavalier, or horseman, often interpreted as Bacchus riding a chariot drawn by panthers.
Residential Areas: Wander through the streets and foundations of former homes to get a sense of daily life in a Roman provincial town.
A Sampling of Mosaics and Volubilis Remains
House of Venus: On the eastern side of the city, this is one of the more famous and elaborate houses, known for its intricate mosaics, including one depicting the Abduction of Hylas by Nymphs.
We absolutely loved the ruins and were sad that we only had a couple of hours to visit. We both agreed that if we had the time, we would have spent the entire day! The intricate mosaics, vibrant even after centuries, were a particular highlight.
More Sites of Ancient Volubilis
A Quick Stop at Moulay Idriss: Morocco’s Holy City
The town of Moulay Idriss is very near Volubilis, and it is assumed that visitors would also go there to see Moulay Idriss’s tomb.
Moulay Idriss I (Idris ibn Abdallah) is an immensely significant figure in Moroccan history. He is considered the founder of the first Moroccan state and the progenitor of the Idrisid dynasty. Having fled the Abbasid Caliphate in the Middle East in the late 8th century, he arrived in Morocco and, with support from local Berber tribes, established his authority, laying the foundations for an independent Moroccan identity. His tomb in Moulay Idriss Zerhoun is a highly revered pilgrimage site for Moroccans and a symbol of the nation’s spiritual origins.
This portion of the visit was okay. To enter the mausoleum, you will have to be Islamic in faith. So, our only option was to walk to the viewpoints that grant a good view of the town and the mausoleum from above. While it was a nice walk and view, not being able to connect with Moulay Idriss’s tomb in a more personal way made it a brief stop. I would suggest this be a short stop on the way to Meknes or from Volubilis, not a primary destination unless you are particularly interested in the broader historical context of Islamic Morocco or able to enter the mausoleum.
Wrapping Up Our Moroccan Adventure
Since we had a personal taxi, we made sure that we could drop by our riad to grab our belongings before making our way to the Meknes train station. This was the last site we were able to see before our 7:00 international flight out of Casablanca the next morning.
Volubilis, even with a quick visit to Moulay Idriss, offered a fascinating window into Morocco’s multi-layered past. It was a perfect final dose of history before heading home, a stark contrast to the bustling Medinas and high mountains we’d explored earlier.
Helpful Links
- Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller: This is a great page to get into more details on the Houses of Volubilis.
- Historic City of Meknes, UNESCO
- Meknes Travel Guide: Discover Morocco’s Underrated Imperial City
- Discovering Fes: A Deep Dive into Morocco’s Ancient City
- Morocco Travel Guide: For my time in Morocco, I have gone with Lonely Planet. This links to the latest version, but don’t be afraid to save a few bucks if there is an older or used version available.
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