The Roman ruins of Tunisia are the result of one of the greatest conflicts in Roman history. From 814 BC to 146 BC, the land that is today Tunisia was the Carthaginian Empire. Carthage was the biggest marital power in the Mediterranean and a major civilization in general. However, through Punic Wars, the Romans completely destroyed Carthage and turned Tunisia into a Roman province. The Roman ruins of Tunisia are the remnants of the Romans’ stay in the country.
El Jem
The amphitheater of El Jem is one of the most-preserved Roman ruins of Tunisia. It dates back to the 3rd century and was the second-largest colosseum of the Roman Empire. El Jem could support up to 35,000 spectators at once. This is important because this number was bigger than the whole population of the town itself. In other words, the amphitheater of El Jem was not an obscure gem but a busy attraction worldwide.
The amphitheater of El Jem is nearly 150 meters tall and consists of only stone blocks. Similar to other amphitheaters in the Roman world, it was probably home to many gladiator fights and other competitions. What is more interesting about the amphitheater is that long after the Romans left, the people of Tunisia used it for different purposes until the 20th century.
Dougga
A UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most authentic Roman towns in North Africa, the city of Dougga is a highly important Roman site. Although most of what we know about Dougga belongs to the Roman occupation, the city’s history goes far earlier than that. Archeological finds suggest that people lived in Dougga as early as the 6th century.
When the Romans first came to Tunisia, they recognized Dougga as an indigenous city. Rather than assimilating the city and its inhabitants, the Romans continued keeping the city’s administration in accordance with the Punic traditions for 2 centuries. Different major ethnic groups, Romans and the locals lived together in harmony for centuries in Dougga.
Sufetula
The ancient ruins of Sufetula tell the visitors one thing: its citizens were wealthy people who demanded luxury. The ancient city of Sufetula has many temples, arches, and baths that definitely belonged to the Romans. The city was famous for its olives, and still is, which provided the citizens of Sufetula with immense wealth during those times.
The Romans accepted Christianity and turned into the Byzantine Empire in the following centuries. Afterward, Sufetula became an important center for the religion. Therefore, the Byzantines made Sufetula their regional capital. The most stunning ruins of the city are the high-reaching temples and the Antonine Gate whose construction finished in the 2nd century.
Thuburbo Majus
One of the largest Roman sites in Tunisia, the ancient ruins of Thuburbo Majus are simply stunning. It was one of the towns on a major road that connected the Roman towns of Tunisia. However, Thuburbo Majus was different than these towns in some aspects. For a long time, Thuburbo Majus was only used by the veterans of the Roman army.
In its prime, Thuburbo Majus was home to 10,000 people which consisted of the army veterans, and their families. The veterans were so prosperous that they started to compete with each other through monuments and buildings. The most important part of the city is Capitole, the 4 columns. Three of the four columns were dedicated to the deities Zeus, Hera, and Athena.
