Sufutela is a wonderfully preserved Roman town in Tunisia with spectacular ruins from two periods. This was an old settlement, refounded around 68 AD under emperor Vespasian.
Sufutela was the capital of a province and a center of the olive oil trade, generating the money to build an impressive forum in the 2nd century. These are the temples of Jupiter, Minerva, and Juno.
Baths, originally built in the same period but extensively altered later.
Theater.
Arena.
Arch of Antoninus Pius, with the forum behind. It never ceases to amaze me how much of this stuff survives, 1900 years old.
The town declined in the late empire but then recovered after the Byzantine reconquest. It was a bishopric and several impressive religious buildings were built there in the 500s. Above, a basin by the basilica.
Mosaics in one of the churches.
Baptistery.
Reconstruction of the classical town by J.C. Golvin. In 647 Sufetula was the site of a major battle between the Byzantines and a Muslim army advancing from Egypt; the decisive Muslim victory led to their rapid conquest of most of what is now Tunisia and Algeria.
Not sure what this is, but it looks cool.
Sorry to say, but there is something wrong in your post. I am myself an admirer of Sufetula Roman site, and I've researched a bit. I am even preparing a post in my blog too. So I thought, makes no sense that what you describe as "arena", a grandiose theatre, is located in Sufetula; there is already a fine enough amphitheatre. Does not fit. In fact, your 'arena' is in El Jem instead (modern El Djem) , 160 km directly to the East of Subetula, and much closer to the Mediterranean coast.
ReplyDeleteGreat and beautiful post, anyhow.