Roman ruins at Volubilis in Morocco

If only the stones could talk.

I was totally fascinated by the ancient Roman ruins of Volubilis in Morocco when we visited during our tour of that country. It was certainly a highlight of the tour – a holiday with many highlights. These ruins are now a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Volubilis was settled in the third century BC but only reached its zenith as a commercial, cultural and administrative centre under Roman rule in the first century AD. It was occupied for at least another 700 years, so it has a long and rich history.

Many of the ruins were destroyed during an earthquake in the 18th century, and it is only in the last 20 years that excavations have revealed some of its former glory.

While wandering around the site,  the writer in me couldn’t help speculate about the myriads of stories these ancient ruins could tell. At one stage over 20,000 people lived here. Each had a story to tell.

• What did they dream of?
• What struggles did they have?
•  How many tragedies could be related?
• Who were the heroes – and the villains – who called this home?

Writing prompt:

• Think of some historic place you know well – or even revisit it.
• It can be a building, a monument or even a natural feature steeped in history.
• It could even be a photo of a place you have never visited – like those above and below.
• Let your mind imagine the people of the past who may have worked there, lived there or had lives changed by being there.
• Drawing on your imagination, write about those people, telling their story.

Good writing.

Roman ruins at Volubilis in Morocco