Thuburbo Majus

Thuburbo Majus is an ancient site located at the north of the Tunisia (with a few 60 kilometers in the south-west of Tunis) close to the current town of El Fahs. One can admire his ruins since banks of the Oued Miliane in Henchir Kasbat.

Roman city

It becomes Chef-lieu of district (pagus as much as civitas) in 27 av. J. - C. under the emperor Auguste. It is supposed that the place was already inhabited before by the Berbères then by the Phéniciens. In 128, under the reign of Hadrian, the city obtains the established among (Municipe) and becomes ripe between 150 and 250. Its prosperity rests then primarily on the trade between the interior of the grounds and the coastal towns. According to the estimates, the city counts at that time between 7000 and 12.000 inhabitants.

The emperor Commode grants the city, renamed Colonia Julia Aurelia Commoda , the statute of Roman colony in 188. The city starts to decline towards the end of the 3rd century. The emperor Constantin tries to revivify the agglomeration which counts 1000 more inhabitants. Re-elected Res Publica Felix Thuburbo Majus , it receives fresh impulse but between again declining under the blows of the invasions Vandales and the Arab combatants who propagate the Islam village in village. The colony will be strongly destroyed by a Earthquake.

Ancient site

It is only in 1857 that the archeologist French Charles Tissot tears off the city of the lapse of memory. Today, from the importance of its ruins, it constitutes one of the most beautiful archeological sites of Tunisia. Of sound capitole, 4 impressive Corinthian columns of 8,50 m survived the time proof and was rectified. Below the temple extended a square forum with Péristyle from 45 side meters. One of the 8 columns of the circular temple was devoted to the god Mercure. The vestiges of the thermal baths of winter and summer, with remarkable mosaic, testify to the architecture of the baths of the Roman epoch. One can see also there a Macellum (Marché), a Amphithéâtre and a church of Byzantine time. The most remarkable lucky finds were deposited with the National museum of Bardo. Among those, one finds the head of a statue of Jupiter 7 meters height as well as mosaics.

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