Dear Reader (2025-10-22 – posted simultaneously to FB)
In today’s post you and I continue exploring Algeria, based on what I choose to edit.
Before the Romans subsumed everything they touched, the Numidian empire existed in North Africa. The empire had various stages between the C 4th BCE to C 1st BCE. I went down too many rabbit holes trying to get enough information to distil that period into something coherent for both you and I. The rabbit holes were too deep and so I will provide you, in the footnotes, starting points for your own search for Alice.
Today’s photos are of two different mausoleums from the Numidian era. Both of these sites became UNESCO World Heritage Sites before Algeria’s dark decade began in 1990, and both are now listed by UNESCO on the List of World Heritage Sites in Danger. Even though Algeria is one of the richest African countries, it appears to have guarded interest in preserving its history. My impression is that the amount of interest a country has in preserving its non-fundamentalist history is inversely proportional to the degree the country’s current society is aligned with religious fundamentalism.
“The Mausoleum of the Numidian Kings is a royal tomb, known as the Madghacen (or Medracen), located near Batna, Algeria. Built around the 3rd century BCE, it is the oldest preserved ancient royal mausoleum in North Africa and is dedicated to the Berber kings who ruled the Numidian kingdom. Its design is a fusion of local and Mediterranean influences, featuring a stepped pyramid shape at the top with Doric-style columns at the base.” (1)
The Mausoleum of Mauritania “was built in 3 BC by the King of Mauretania, Juba II (son of Juba I of Numidia) and his wife Cleopatra Selene II. She was a Greek Ptolemaic princess, the daughter of the Queen Cleopatra VII of Egypt and Roman Triumvir Mark Antony. Through her marriage to Juba II, she became Queen of Mauretania.”(2)
Footnotes
~ (1) – AI Overview (and therefore I have no idea on its veracity) using the search term “Mausoleum of numidian kings berber”
~ (2) – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Mausoleum_of_Mauretania
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madghacen
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numidia
~ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavetto
Notes on Photos
~ 01 to 05 – The Mausoleum of the Numidian Kings
~ 06 to 09 – The Mausoleum of Mauritania
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Cheers, Sean
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All rights for all material on any media reserved – © Sean P Drysdale 2017-2025
This blog isn’t particularly the place for theological discussions, but there are a number of religions that have problems not only with the people that believe differently now, but that believed differently before the current religion came along. The destruction of The Buddhas of Bamiyan is but one example.
In any case, I applaud the use of B&W for the photos. I think that brings out the texture and shapes of the building materials, particularly in 4 and 5.
After reading your comment, it struck me that my original post could be misinterpreted. I made an edit. As always, thank you for visiting and commenting.