Thuburbo Majus Attractions

In 27 B.C., during the reign of Augustus, a Roman settlement (pagus) was established alongside the Punic one (civitas). In A.D. 128 Hadrian promoted the town to the status of municipium, involving the grant of Roman citizenship. This marked the beginning of intensive Romanisation and the town's rise to prosperity. In 188 Commodus granted it the status of a colonia under the style of Colonia Julia Aurelia Commoda. Subsequent decades saw the erection of most of the town's splendid mosaic- decorated public buildings and private houses. Decline set in towards the end of the third century, interrupted by a brief upswing in the fourth century. During this period several buildings were restored and enlarged, and the town changed its name to Res Publica Felix Thuburbo Majus. Vandal raids, conflicts between Catholics and Donatists and finally the Arab invasion led to the final ruin of the town. One of the last signs of prosperity was a hoard of gold buried in the mid seventh century to save it from the Arabs. The site was rediscovered in 1857, and since 1912 about a fifth of the total area has been excavated. It is estimated that the city, covering an area of some 40 hectares/99 acres, had a population of between 7,000 and 12,000.

Access

Thuburbo Majus lies 1km/0.75mi west of GP 3 (Tunis-Kairouan), 63km/39mi south of Tunis and 91km/57mi north of Kairouan. Approach from Tunis: 62km/39mi south of Tunis, 2km/1.25mi before the village of El Fahs, turn off GP 3 into MC 28 (signposted to Medjez el Bab); 1km/.75mi along this road is the entrance to the site (parking lot).