Visiting Morocco, there were a lot of things we weren’t prepared for.  There was the sheer diversity of the topography.  There was the beauty and the color.  And yes, Volubilis was certainly one of those surprises.

Dating from the 3rd century BC, Volubilis was the ancient capital of the kingdom of Mauretania, such as it was.  Then became a Roman stronghold, then an independent Christian community before becoming the seat of an Islamic dynasty.  That’s a lot of change for one city to see.  And each of those changes can be seen etched in the architecture (and ruins) of the site.

Like most visitors, we were captivated by the giant triumphal Arch of Caracalla for its grandness.  And we fell in love with fine details of the mosaic tile floors, which are well preserved to this day.

The city was an empire unto itself.  Even being on the far southwest edge of the Roman Empire, it was a formidable city.  We struggled to understand how over 20,000 people could here.  And, this was one of the wealthiest cities in the world.  Certainly, the art and architecture speak to the affluence of the people who lived in the ancient site.

It’s safe to say that Volubilis was one of the highlights of visiting Morocco!