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<HTML> <HEAD> <TITLE>The ancient Roman towns of Thapsus and Leptis Minor in Tunisia</TITLE> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META NAME="description" CONTENT="An illustrated description of the ancient Roman towns of Thapsus and Leptis Minor in Tunisia"> <META NAME="name" CONTENT="An illustrated description of the ancient Roman towns of Thapsus and Leptis Minor in Tunisia"> <META NAME="author" CONTENT="romeartlover"> <META NAME="generator" CONTENT="FreeFormEditor 1.0"> <style>body, html { margin:0; padding:0; color:#0D1138; background:#a7a09a; } #wrap { width:960px; margin:0 auto; padding:0; background:#F0EA92; } #header { background-image: url("Bghall.jpg");} #nav { background:#F0EA92; } #main { background:#F0EA92; padding:0; } #sidebar { background:#cc9; } #footer { background:#cc9; } #main { float:left; width:200px; background-image: url("Bghall.jpg"); } #sidebar { float:right; width:760px; background-image: url("Bgthapsu.jpg"); } #footer { clear:both; background:#cc9; } table { background-image: url("Bghall.jpg"); font-weight: bold;} td { padding: 4px; border: thin solid DarkGoldenRod; vertical-align: top;} caption { caption-side:center;} </style><link rel="stylesheet" href="prova2.css"> </HEAD> <body> <div id="wrap"> <div id="header"></div> <div id="nav"></div> <div id="main"></div> <div id="sidebar"></div> <div id="footer"></div> </div> <div id="wrap"> <div id="header"><div class="boxed"><h1><em>Rome in the Footsteps of an XVIIIth Century Traveller</em></h1></div></div> <div id="nav"> <ul class="nav site-nav"> <li class="flyout"><a href=#>About this Website</a> <ul class="flyout-content nav stacked"> <li><a href="index.html">Home</a></li> <li><a href="Romeartlover.html">About & Feedback</a></li> <li><a href="Hallfame.html">Hall of Fame</a></li> <li><a href="Biblio.html">Bibliography</a></li> <li><a href="Glossary.html">Glossary</a></li> </ul> <li class="flyout"> <a href="#">Vasi's Roman Views</a>  <ul class="flyout-content nav stacked"> <li><a href="Books.html">Rome in 10 Books</a></li> <li><a href="View.htm">View of Rome</a></li> <li><a href="Map.html">Map of Rome</a></li> <li class="flyout-alt"><a href="#">Other Views</a>  <ul class="flyout-content nav stacked"> <li><a href="Vasigrs1.html">Roman Forum</a></li> <li><a href="Vasigrs4.html">The Vatican</a></li> <li><a href="Vasigrs2.html">Aventine Hill</a></li> <li><a href="Vasigrs3.html">S. 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Write to <a href="mailto:romapip@quipo.it">romapip@quipo.it</a>.<p class="stacco"> <a href="New.htm"><img class="displayed" src="Newnuovo.jpg" title="See the most recent additions to this website" height=135 width=180></a> <p class="stacco"><a href="superind.html"><img class="displayed" src="Sitemap.jpg" height=135 width=180 title="See a detailed list of this website pages"></a></p> <p class="stacco">Notes:<p class="stacco">Page added in September 2019. The photos were taken in March 2019.</div> </div> <div id="sidebar"><div class="boxed"> <img src="Miniafri.jpg" width=220 height=120 title="detail of the theatre"><em><strong><span>  Thapsus and Leptis Minor</span><br>   (detail of the theatre at <a href="Thugga.html">Thugga</a>)</em> <p><p class="stacco">You may wish to see an <a href="Tunisia.html">introductory page to this section</a> first. <p class="stacco"><a name="Thapsus"></a><h4>Thapsus</h4> <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus4.jpg" title="Site of the harbour" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Ras Dimass, a cape at the southern end of the Gulf of <a href="Monastir.html">Monastir</a>: the likely site of the harbour of Thapsus, east of the current one, the construction of which destroyed an ancient jetty</em></h2> <p class="stacco"><em>Demass, the antient Thapsus, is situated upon a low Neck. (..) There is still remaining, in Defiance of Time and the Sea, a great Part of the Cothon </em>(artificial harbour)<em>.</em><br>Thomas Shaw - Travels, or, observations relating to several parts of Barbary and the Levant - 1738<br><em>We eventually arrived at Cape Dimass, near which the remains of a jetty which protected the harbour of ancient Thapsus are still visible.</em><br>Free translation from Victor Gu閞in - Voyage arch閛logique dans la R間ence de Tunis - 1862 <a name="Cato"></a><br>In 46 BC <a href="Storia5.html#Sallust">Julius Caesar</a> won at Thapsus a decisive battle against the remaining supporters of Pompey, including <a href="Utica.html#Cato">Cato the Younger</a> who committed suicide after having learnt about the defeat. <p class="stacco"><table cols=1 style="width:96%" class="center"><tbody><tr> <td><h2>The Battle of Thapsus</h2><em>When Caesar realised that it was quite out of the question to hold back his troops in their present state of excitement, he signalled 'Good Luck' and giving his horse its head rode in hot haste against the enemy front ranks. Meanwhile on the right wing the slingers and archers in crowds launched rapid volleys of missiles against the elephants. Whereupon the beasts, terrified by the whizzing sound of the slings and by the stones and leaden bullets launched against them, speedily wheeled round, trampled under foot the massed and serried ranks of their own supporting troops behind them, and rushed towards the half-completed gates of the rampart. The Moorish cavalry, who were posted on the same wing as the elephants, followed suit and, abandoned by their protective screen, started the rout. Having thus speedily got round the elephants, the legions gained possession of the enemy's rampart; and when the few defenders who offered a spirited resistance had been killed, the remainder precipitately sought refuge in the camp from which they had issued the day before.</em><br>The African War - Loeb Edition</td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus9.jpg" title="Baths" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>(above) Baths; (below) other Roman structures near the harbour</em></h2> <p class="stacco"><em>I had received at Tunis many splendid descriptions of the vast remains of this town, and now felt much disappointed at seeing so few of them extant, and these few in such a state of perfect ruin.</em><br>Sir Grenville Temple - Excursions in the Mediterranean - 1835<br><em>The famous town of Thapsus is now completely destroyed. The land upon which it stood is fully farmed so that evidence of its houses and public buildings has completely disappeared. (..) The farmers utilize the stones of ancient buildings they come across to build low walls which separate their properties.</em> Gu閞in<br>Travellers of the past were keen on visiting the site of this memorable battle, but today the remains of Thapsus are not paid attention to, although they are located near popular holiday destinations such as Monastir and <a href="Mahdia.html">Mahdia</a>. Some very thick walls managed to withstand the ravages of time and, in the lack of any road signs, they make the visitor understand that he has arrived to the site of an ancient town. <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus8.jpg" title="Baths" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Baths: (left) perhaps the "natatio" (pool) of the "frigidarium" (cold room); (right) fragments of floor mosaics</em></h2> <p class="stacco">In 1881 Tunisia became a French Protectorate and the description of its antiquities by Gu閞in prompted a series of archaeological campaigns which initially were carried out by the military. Eventually they led to the identification of some buildings of the town, in addition to those noted by Gu閞in. In general terms however the site did not attract the attention of archaeologists. <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus7.jpg" title="Cisterns" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>(left) A long series of cisterns; (right) one of them</em></h2> <p class="stacco">Gu閞in mentioned the existence of an aqueduct and of cisterns. Near the baths there is a series of small cisterns, at the end of which there is evidence of a large house. <p class="stacco"><a name="Amphitheatre"></a> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus1.jpg" title="The amphitheatre" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Amphitheatre</em></h2> <p class="stacco"><em>The principal and only remains, in fact, are those of some large cisterns, a palace or fort, and of an amphitheatre, whose length, extending from N.E. to S.W., measures two hundred and forty feet, and that of the arena one hundred and fifty, whilst its greatest breadth is two hundred, and that of the latter one hundred and ten feet; a small part of the wall inclosing the arena, and faced with large wrought stones, and the inclined supports of the stairs leading to the first gallery still remain.</em> Temple<br><em>The ruin of an amphitheatre is situated south of the aqueduct. The arena is farmed, the seating section does not exist any longer.</em> Gu閞in<p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus2.jpg" title="The amphitheatre" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Amphitheatre: (left) vault supporting the seating section; (right) central underground facility which seems water proof, an indication that the amphitheatre could be used for "naumachia" (naval combats) </em></h2> <p class="stacco">Thapsus was founded by the <a href="Tyre3.html#Morocco">Phoenicians</A> and it is first mentioned in the IVth century BC. It was part of the Carthaginian territory, but during the <a href="Storia4.html#Carthage">Third Punic War</a> it stood on the Roman side and it was rewarded with the status of <em>civitas libera</em>, a free and autonomous city. During the Civil War Thapsus supported Pompey and it was punished with a heavy taxation. Pliny the Elder, who wrote at the time of <a href="Storia8.html#Vespasian">Emperor Vespasian</a>, mentions Thapsus as an <em>oppidum liberum</em> which indicates a minor town with a degree of self-government. The prosperity of the region which was based on the great fertility of the land favoured the development of the town which in the early IIIrd century had improved harbour facilities. The construction of the amphitheatre testifies to its importance in that period.<p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus3.jpg" title="The amphitheatre" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Amphitheatre: partially reconstructed seating section</em></h2> <p class="stacco"> <table cols=1 style="width:72%" class="center"><tbody><tr> <td>Other ancient amphitheatres in this web site:<br> <a href="Vasi33.htm#Colosseum">The Colosseo of Rome</a><br> <a href="Albano.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Albano</a><br> <a href="Capua2.html">The Amphitheatre of Capua</a><br> <a href="Cassino.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Cassino</a><br> <a href="Verona4.html#Arena">The Amphitheatre of Verona</a><br> <a href="Pompeii7.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Pompeii</a><br> <a href="Catania.html#amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Catania</a><br> <a href="Siracus1.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Syracuse</a><br> <a href="Civita3.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Sutri</a><br> <a href="Fucens.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Alba Fucens</a><br> <a href="Fermint.html#Urbisaglia">The Amphitheatre of Urbs Salvia (Urbisaglia)</a><br> <a href="Pola3.html">The Amphitheatre of Pola in Istria</a><br> <a href="Salona.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Salona in Dalmatia</a><br> <a href="Arles.html#amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Arles in France</a><br> <a href="Bordeaux.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Bordeaux in France</a><br> <a href="Nimes.html#amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of N頼es in France</a><br> <a href="Perigueux.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of P閞igueux in France</a><br> <a href="Saintes.html#amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Saintes in France</a><br> <a href="Toulouse.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Toulouse in France</a><br> <a href="Carnuntum.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre(s) of Carnuntum in Austria</a><br> <a href="Trier.html#amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Trier in Germany</a><br> <a href="Caerleon.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Isca Augusta (Caerleon) in Wales</a><br> <a href="London.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of London</a><br> <a href="Italica.html#lista">The Amphitheatre of Italica in Spain</a><br> <a href="Merida4.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Merida in Spain</a><br> <a href="Tarragona2.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Tarragona in Spain</a><br> <a href="Caesarea.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Caesarea Maritima in Israel</a><br> <a href="Cartago2.html#Amphitheatre">The Amphitheatre of Carthage</a><br> <a href="Mactaris2.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Mactaris (Makhtar) in Tunisia</a><br> <a href="Thysdrus.html">The Amphitheatre of Thysdrus (El Djem) in Tunisia</a><br> <a href="Uthina.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Uthina (Oudna) in Tunisia</a><br> <a href="Leptis2.html#Capua">The Amphitheatre of Leptis Magna in Libya</a> </td></tr></tbody></table> <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsu5.jpg" title="House in the process of being restored" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Floor mosaics in the process of being restored</em></h2> <p class="stacco">The apparent almost total abandonment of the monuments of Thapsus might end because in March 2019 restoration work was being carried out at a large Roman house near the baths. <p class="stacco"><a name="Medusa"></a> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsus6.jpg" title="House in the process of being restored" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>A floor mosaic which is similar to others at <a href="Musousse.html#Gorgon">Sousse</a> and <a href="Thysdru2.html#Mahdia">Thysdrus</A></em></h2> <p class="stacco"><em>Association de Sauvegard de la Ville de Bekalta</em> (Bekalta being the nearest modern town to Thapsus) supports the initiatives for the restoration of some of the ancient monuments. <p class="stacco"><a name="Kelibia"></a> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsu10.jpg" title="Baptismal font" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=470 width=730> <em><h2><a href="Musousse.html">Archaeological Museum of Sousse</a>: baptismal font from Thapsus; its Chi-Rho (a Christogram) can be seen in the image used as background for this page</em></h2> <p class="stacco">A Bishop of Thapsus is recorded in 484 when Africa was ruled by the Vandals. In 1993 an extraordinarily fine baptismal font was found at Bekalta. It is likely it belonged to the cathedral of Thapsus. It is dated VIth century and it is generally defined as a masterpiece of Byzantine art, although this type of baptismal fonts is typical of Tunisia. <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Thapsu11.jpg" title="Baptismal font" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Archaeological Museum of Sousse: baptismal font: detail showing part of the inscription (On Earth Peace to Men of Good Will) with the letter "B" standing for "V" and a "lambda" for "L", in line with the Greek usage</em></h2> <p class="stacco">The inscription suggests the baptismal font was made after the Byzantines conquered Africa in 533. You may wish to compare this baptismal font with those of <a href="Kelibia.html#Baptistery">Kelibia</a> and of <a href="Sufetul2.html#Baptistery">Sufetula</a>. <p class="stacco"><a name="Leptis"></a><h4>Leptis Minor (Lamta)</h4><p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Lamda01.jpg" title="Floor mosaic inside the premises of the Museum" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Floor mosaic inside the premises of the Museum</em></h2> <p class="stacco"><em>We arrived about noon at Lambtah, a village on the coast. The ruins of an extensive castle, built by the Saracens from the remains of the important city of Leptis, which formerly stood upon this spot, rise picturesquely in the centre of the clustering hovels. Many small articles, such as coins, gems, etc. are found by the villagers, in ploughing the neighbouring fields; and, during our halt, they offered several for sale.</em><br>John Clark Kennedy - Algeria and Tunisia in 1845<br>Leptis Minor (Lesser) is so called to distinguish it from <a href="Leptis2.html">Leptis Magna</a>, a much larger town in today's Libya. Its history is similar to that of Thapsus, which is some ten miles east. It was renowned for its <em><a href="Neapolis.html#garum">garum</a></em>, a fish sauce.<p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Lamda02.jpg" title="Floor mosaic inside the premises of the Museum" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Fragment of a floor mosaic outside the premises of the Museum on a road to the sea</em></h2> <p class="stacco">In 1893 the Archaeological Atlas of Tunisia reported the existence of large ruins which were identified as those of a Forum, a theatre, an amphitheatre, baths, town walls, a jetty, a Byzantine fortress, an aqueduct and necropolises. They were all shown on a map. The development of a modern town with a large seaside road had a very negative impact on these ruin. The museum where the most interesting findings were moved was closed for restoration in March 2019 and only some fine floor mosaics were visible from the outside. <p class="stacco"> <img class="displayed" SRC="Lamda03.jpg" title="Ruins along the main road opposite the museum" style="border:5px solid DarkGoldenRod" height=451 width=730> <em><h2>Ruins along the main road opposite the museum</em></h2> <p class="stacco"> <p class="stacco">Plan of this section:<br> <a href="Tunisia.html">Introductory page</a><br> <a href="Aphrodisium.html">Aphrodisium and Sullectum</a><br> <a href="Bulla.html">Bulla Regia</a><br> <a href="Cartago1.html">Carthage</a><br> <a href="Kelibia.html">Clypea (Kelibia)</a><br> <a href="Kerkouane.html">Kerkouane (Punic)</a><br> <a href="Mactaris.html">Mactaris</a><br> <a href="Mustis.html">Musti</a><br> <a href="Neapolis.html">Neapolis</a><br> <a href="Pheradi.html">Pheradi Majus</a><br> <a href="Pupput.html">Pupput</a><br> <a href="Sicca.html">Sicca Veneria</a><br> <a href="SidiGhrib.html">Sidi Ghrib Roman Villa</a><br> <a href="Simitthus.html">Simitthus</a><br> <a href="Sufetula.html">Sufetula</a><br> Thapsus and Leptis Minor</a><br> <a href="Thignica.html">Thignica</a><br> <a href="Thuburbo.html">Thuburbo Majus</a><br> <a href="Thugga.html">Thugga</a><br> <a href="Thysdrus.html">Thysdrus</a><br> <a href="Uppenna.html">Uppenna</a><br> <a href="Uthina.html">Uthina</a><br> <a href="Utica.html">Utica</a><br> <a href="Ziqua.html">Ziqua</a><br> <a href="Bardo.html">Mosaics in the Museum of Bardo</a><br> <a href="Musousse.html">Mosaics in the Museum of Sousse</a> <br><br></div> </div> <div id="footer"><div class="boxed"><p class="stacco"><h2>Other pages/sections which might be of interest to you:</h2>                                      <a href="Algeria.html"><img src="Minialge.jpg" width=220 height=120 title="Roman Algeria"></a><a href="Umbereco.html"><img src="Minihist.jpg" width=220 height=120 title="Abridged History of Rome"></a><a href="Tripintr.html"><img src="Minitrip.jpg" width=220 height=120 title="Libya"></a><h2>See you at another page of this website!</h2></p></div></div></body> </HTML>