Thysdrus
Thysdrus, known today as El Djem, is an ancient town located in Tunisia, notable for its rich history and archaeological significance. Initially a small free city in the Roman province of Africa, it played a strategic role during the Roman civil war in 46 BC when it served as a grain storage site for Pompeian forces. By the late second century AD, Thysdrus became a Roman municipium, leveraging its position on essential trade routes to rival Carthage and Hadrumetum for prominence in the region. The town was also known for its lucrative olive oil production and export.
One of Thysdrus's most remarkable features is its amphitheater, constructed in the mid-third century AD, which is the best-preserved in Africa and the largest Roman structure on the continent, accommodating around 50,000 spectators. This structure, alongside other archaeological remains such as a hippodrome, elaborate mosaics, and industrial quarters, reflects Thysdrus's historical significance and cultural richness. Despite periods of upheaval, including a rebellion in 238 AD, the town continued to be mentioned in historical records through the fourth and fifth centuries, showcasing its enduring legacy.
Thysdrus
(El Djem)
A town in north Africa (Tunisia). Its name suggests Berber rather than Carthaginian origins. A small `free’ city in the Roman province of Africa, Thysdrus figured prominently in the civil war between Julius Caesar and the Pompeians in 46 BC, when the latter employed it for the storage of large quantities of grain—and Caesar could not get a siege under way, owing to the scarcity of water in the neighborhood. Toward the end of the second century AD the town became a Roman municipium, deriving importance from its position on the road from Carthage to Hadrumetum (Sousse)—with which it competed for the position of second city in the province after Carthage—as well as on a route toward the hinterland; and large profits, too, were derived from the intensive production and export of olive oil. In 238 Thysdrus was the scene of the coup d'état of Gordianus I Africanus, proconsul of Africa, and his son of the same name, who launched a short-lived rebellion against Maximinus I. After the collapse of this revolt Thysdrus seems to have been ravaged and burned, though it attained colonial rank in c 240–50 or later and continued to receive mention in fourth- and fifth-century documents.
Two amphitheaters are to be seen on the site; the larger, dating from the mid-third century and capable of accommodating about 50,000 spectators, is the best-preserved of such monuments in Africa, the largest Roman building of the continent, and the third largest amphitheater in the entire Roman world. Despite modern restoration, its interior only remains a skeleton, but beneath the floor lies a cruciform system of cellars with vaulted compartments. A spacious hippodrome has been revealed by aerial photography. Thousands of yards of fine floor mosaics, especially of Antonine and Severan times, have been uncovered at a large bathing establishment. They are now to be seen at the museums of Tunis (Bardo) and El Djem. An elegantly decorated mansion has also been partially excavated beside two temples. Behind these shrines lies an industrial quarter that housed potteries and foundries and even workshops manufacturing hairpins.