There was a non-sdl linux Version for 2.02 (on the CD).
But apart from that Dominions for Linux has always
required SDL.
You should be able to see it like this:
ls -l /usr/lib/libSDL*
Dominions II wants the libSDL-1.2 Version.
It might have used the 1.1 Version previously, I dont't know.
Anyway you want SDL-1.2!
If you haven't got it you can download it from here:
www.libsdl.org