Volubilis — Juba's Lost Cipher

Your quest for Juba II's celestial heritage begins at the archaeological site of Volubilis, one of Morocco's best ancient ruins. Here, every stone speaks of the glorious past of this Roman city, capital of Mauretania Tingitana. You start your Volubilis family visit, soaking in the atmosphere that reigned centuries ago. The remains of the Forum and the baths remind you of Volubilis' importance as a commercial and cultural crossroads, an ideal starting point to understand the history of Volubilis and its Fès-Meknès monuments.

The path then leads you to the Arch of Caracalla, erected in 217 AD to commemorate the visit of Emperor Caracalla and his mother Julia Domna in 211-212 AD. This 13.5-meter-high triumphal marble structure features reliefs depicting Caracalla in a toga. A Latin dedicatory inscription honors Caracalla as 'Pater Patriae', a clue to Roman power. It is here, under this symbolic arch, that the first puzzles of your Volubilis outdoor escape game are revealed, immersing you in the emperor's era.

Continuing your Fès-Meknès thematic circuit, you reach the Capitol of Volubilis, built around 218 AD under the reign of Macrin and dedicated to Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva. Its dimensions of 42 m x 24 m, with its cella and pronaos, as well as its 12 m high Corinthian columns, attest to the grandeur of Roman architecture. Despite damage from the 1755 earthquake, the remains of the sacrificial altar and the colossal statue of Jupiter are still visible, providing a striking setting for your Volubilis treasure hunt. Nearby, the House of Venus, from the 2nd-3rd century AD, impresses with its intact 6 m x 4 m polychrome mosaic, depicting Venus in a chariot drawn by elephants, covering an area of 1400 m².

Your exploration of the Fès-Meknès heritage continues towards the Olive Oil Presses in the southern industrial quarter, dating from the 2nd-3rd century AD. These installations, with their screw and counterweight mechanisms, reveal an estimated production capacity of 3000 tons per year, making Volubilis a major player in olive oil export to Rome, supplying the 'Dressel 20' amphora. Volubilis produced one-third of Mauretanian oil, a crucial fact for understanding the region's economy. Then, the Temple of Saturn, erected in the 1st century AD, illustrates the Roman syncretism of Jupiter with the Libyan Ammon, a cult dedicated by Marcus Cornelius Fronto around 60 AD.

At the end of your journey, after passing through the Basilica of Volubilis, built in the late 2nd century AD for courts and assemblies, and admiring the North Gate (Bab es-Silsila), the main access to the decumanus maximus, you will have uncovered the secrets of Juba II. This interactive Volubilis visit will not only have introduced you to the best ancient ruins in Morocco but also offered a unique perspective on Roman engineering and the daily life of this fascinating city. The Volubilis outdoor escape game leaves you with the satisfaction of having deciphered Juba's 'cipher', a memorable experience at the heart of history.