Leptis Magna

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Leptis Magna

The magnificent city ofLeptis Magnais a wonderful place to see, immensely satisfying, and is one of the most sought tourist destinations in Libya. It is also the most important Roman site in the world, as it is widely recognised as the best preserved Roman city outside Italy, and, unlike most ancient ruins, its well-preserved remains give a clear picture as to what a complete Roman city would have looked like. No visit to Libya is complete without seeing this magnificent Magna.

Leptis Magna, also known asLepcis Magna,Lebda,Lubdah,LebdahorLabdah, is located about 120 km east of the capital Tripoli, and only 2 or 3 km east of al-Khoms (Khoms or Homs). Its Greek and Latin name Leptis has been linked to the Berber and PunicLibqiorLabqi,which Bates was probably the first to mention in association with the BerberRibuorLibu, whence the nameLibyaitself.

Archaeological Paradise

An illustration of how Leptis Magna would have looked like.

Map of The main archaeological sites of Leptis Magna, Libya.

1. Light House

9. The Entrance to Excavations

17. Church

26. The Byzantine Gate

2. Doric Temple

10. Arch of Septimius Severus

18. The Severan Forum

27. The Serapaeum

3. The Harbour

11. The Schola & Baths

19. The Severan Basilica

28. Seaward Baths

4. Temple of Jupiter

12. The Theater

20. The Old Basilica

29. The West Gate

5. Colonnaded Street

13. The Chalcidicum

21. The Curia; 22. Old Forum

30. Marcus Aurelius Arch

6. The Nymphaeum

14. The Market

23. Temple of Roma & Augustus

31. The Villa of the Nile

7. The Balaestra

15. Arch of Trajan

24. Temple of Liber Pater

32. Amphitheatre

8. Hadrianic Baths

16. Arch of Tiberius

25. The Old Forum Church

33.The Circus

Originally, the city was a Berber settlement, well before the arrival of the Phoenicians about 3000 years ago. According toIbn A'bd al-H'akam(ninth century), the Berber tribeHawarra, a name closely linked toZwara,ZwaghaandZwawabyIbn Khaldun, established themselves at Leptis Magna and to the south of the Syrtis Major. After the destruction of Punic Carthage (a mixed colony of Berbers and Phoenicians), the three cities of Zawagha (Sabratha), Oea (Tripoli) and Leptis Magna (Lebdah) were incorporated into the Berber Kingdom of Numidia, before they were finally engulfed by the Roman invaders, where Leptis Magna became part of the Roman empire in 111BC.

Owing to the flooding caused by the rise of Lebda Wadi (see illustration above) the Romans built some engineering structures to protect the city from flooding. But as these barriers are no longer in place, the city of Leptis Magna suffered devastating flooding in 1987 and 1988. It aid workers several years to restore the site, with the help of the UNESCO which provided emergency and also proposed a flood protection project in 1990 to put an end to this ancient problem.

The magnificent Theater at Leptis Magna, Libya.

The theater was built with money donated by a few rich aristocrats of the city during the first century AD.

A reconstruction of the theater.

(1) Ima Cavea; (2) Media Cavea; (3) Summa Cavea; (4) Vomitori; (5) Orchestra; (6) Seats for important dignitaries; (7) Entrance to stage; (8) Stage; (9) Wall of scenery; (10) Wooden ceiling; (11) Stakes to secure the canvas awning; (12) Attic gallery.

The Arch of Septimius Severus

Under the influence of one of its citizens, the BerberSeptimius Severus, who became the first African Roman Emperor, the extraordinary city of Leptis Magna became an important trading port, and enjoyed a monumental architectural development and spectacular splendour, like the beautiful Amphitheatre (dug into the ground of an old quarry), the colonnaded street, the Severn Forum, decorated withGorgon heads, the massive Basilica, the Hippodrome, the Hadrian Baths, the Temples of Liber Pater, Hercules, Roma and Augustus, the Tiberio Arch, the Nimphaeum, the Oea Door, and the Palaestra. The city of Leptis Magna reached the height of its glory just before the first Vandals' invasions in 429; after which it slowly began to disappear into the corridors of oblivion.

The Libyan Goddess Medusa (or the Gorgon) Guarding the Severan Forum.

Evil mortals dare not breach the protected sacred sanctuary or else be turned into stone. Themythhas it that the blood droplets that fell from the severed head of the Medusa onto the soil were turned into desert snakes; eager to devour.

The Baths, Leptis Magna, Libya.

During the second century AD, Rome was in turmoil, where its emperors degenerated into a state of debauchery and chaos. In the power struggle that ensued after four years of civil war, Septimius Severus rose as a formidable leader. Transferring the seat of power to the frontier provinces, he immediately began to reform the Roman army and thus expanded the empire to include Mesopotamia, while Numidia was made a separate province. His reforms in Africa included exempting Leptis Magna, Carthage and Utica from provincial taxes. Septimius Severus sons (GetaandCaracalla), contrary to their father's advice shortly before his death, began to fight among themselves and eventually killed each other, bringing the great Severan dynasty to an end.

The Statue of Septimius Severus

Libyan Lucius Septimius Severus was one of Rome's great emperors. He ruled the Roman empire from 14 April 193 AD until his death in 211 AD. He was of Berber origin and was born in the Berber Leptis Magna on the 11th of April 145 AD, and as such he became the first foreign emperor in Roman history. His Berber father Publius Septimius Geta was a wealthy man who held no political status; while his mother Fulvia Pia was of the Italian Fulvius gens who was of a Plebeian origin. After advancing through the customary succession of offices he first seized power after the death of emperor Pertinax in 193, deposed the emperor Didius Julianus, and then went on to defeat the generals Pescennius Niger and Clodius Albinus in 194 and 197 respectively.

The Severan Forum

The existing Arch of Septimius Severus is a replica of the original arch, which has been moved to Tripoli. The splendid theater by the sea was also built during the Severus dynasty. Its excellent museum houses many important pieces of the city's history, like the mythological Gemini twin Castor and Pollux, some portrait busts found scattered across the ruins, the two Aphrodites from the baths, and the stone elephant.

Have you ever wondered what an ancient street looked like?

Leptis Magna, Libya.

Gladiators Arena (right-hand side)

Gladiators Arena (left-hand side)

Gladiators Arena (close up)

Villa Selene (Seline):

The exquisite and small Villa Selene (Sileen, Silene or Seline), just west of Leptis Magna, is a private house dating back to the Byzantine period. It is one of the must-see places in Libya, especially its lavish decorations and the highly detailed and intricate mosaics across the Villa's floor, of breathtaking sea nymphs, amphora-helmeted pygmies, and sea hunting-scenes. The villa, spectacularly perched on a Mediterranean cliff overlooking the magnificent sea, was a private home of a wealthy family from Leptis Magna, and widely considered an opulent example of the stunning and dazzling display of Libyan classical art.

The Leptis Magna Market:

The Ancient Fabric Market of Leptis Magna, Libya.

This grand market was originally built in 9 BC, and was later rebuilt during the reign of Septimius Severus. It must have been a busy centre of business and commerce, where traders exchanged goods and merchandise between Africa, Rome and Phoenicia. The harbour (see photo at the top) would have been one of the busiest in the southern Mediterranean basin. This round structure is the fabric market, followed (behind in the picture) by the vegetable & fruit market. One of the main preserved features of these markets are the stone measuring tools (see below).

Length Measuring Stone

Fabric Measuring Stone From The Fabric Market, Leptis Magna, Libya.

A measuring stone at the Fabric Market. The stone shows different units of measurements, just as modern rulers do, for measuring fabric lengths. It is difficult to guess what the small units are, considering fabrics are measured in long lengths like meters or yards. Imagine you have a bit left in a roll and that the buyer wants to buy it all. To unfold the entire remanent and measure it meter by meter would seem ridiculous, to say the least. However, measuring the thickness of the remanent against the small squares (or distances between the lines) the trader would know exactly how many meters left in the roll. (Please do not quote me on this, as this is only my guess.) The stone at the top with the Arabic writing (which is also shown in English) does not belong to the same period; it is a recent addition to inform the tourists of the nature of the stone. What about the standing blocks on each side?

Grain Measuring Holes From The Grain Market

Stone-dug measuring-holes for measuring grains, Leptis Magna Market.

These holes, which come in different sizes, were used to measure produce like grains. I presume the larger holes were used for wheat and barley, often sold in large quantities, while the smaller holes were probably used for products that are sold in smaller quantities, like beans.

Once the holes are filled with the required product, the customer places his or her basket under the scales (see above photo), between the two standing stones supporting the holes (or the scales), and then the trader pulls the plug and lets the contents fall into the basket below the hole (see photo below for the hole at the bottom of the hole). Note the two lions guarding the scales at the top of each supporting stone.

Mausoleum of Duirat Castle

Mausoleum of Qaser Duirat, 200 AD., Leptis Magna Museum, Libya.

The original location of this funerary monument was about 2 kilometres south-west of Leptis Magna city (Lubdah). It was moved to its current location outside Leptis Magna museum for safety reasons, owing to the high voltage pylons which passed by its previous location. This mausoleum is among the best preserved mausoleums and most decorated of all the Mausoleums found in Libya. Among the designs are the zodiacal and astrological signs. The name found inscribed on the monument is half Roman and half Libyan, which indicates that the tomb belonged to a Libyan dignitary, as it was the custom then for dignitaries to keep their Libyan name in order to indicate their ancestry. The structure was dated to 200 AD. Info in French follows:

Mausolee de Gasr Duirat

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Leptis Magna

an UNESCO World Heritage siteLepcis MagnaorLeptis Magna, an ancient city along the Mediterranean Sea, located near the modern-day city of Al Khums in Libya. The city began as a trading port for the ancient people of Phoenicia around 1000 BC and then became part of the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis. Lepcis was the most easterly of the three cities that gave the North African region of Tripolitania its name.

arch of Roman emperor Lucius Septimius Severus (AD 146-211)The city grew as a prosperous trading center, but raids by desert tribes began in the 4th century AD and the city was virtually abandoned by the 8th century.

detail of the archLepcis Magna was associated with the Roman Empire for more than 600 years beginning in the 2nd century BC. During that time many buildings were constructed using Roman architectural styles. These Roman structures, well preserved under sand for centuries, have made the city an important area for archaeological study since the 1920s. Lepcis Magna was also known as the birthplace of Roman emperor Lucius Septimius Severus (AD 146-211).

the Severn ForumLepcis Magna, which was located on a natural harbor protected by islands along the North African coast, began as a Phoenician trading post. In the 6th century BC Carthage became the dominant Phoenician colony and gradually took control of other Phoenician areas in North Africa, including Lepcis Magna. In 202 BC the Romans defeated Carthage in the Second Punic War. Emperor Trajan made Lepcis acolonia,a Roman colony with full Roman citizenship rights for the citys population, in AD 109. The first Roman senator from Lepcis Magna began to serve in the early 2nd century.

Gorgon head(carved figures like this one (70) all around the Severn Forum)Lepcis Magna enjoyed an unusual degree of autonomy under Roman rule. Unlike other African cities, it lost no land and was not forced to accept Roman settlers. It prospered because Rome stopped bandits from plundering the countryside and curbed unrest among local tribal groups.

wall separating the Severn Forum from the Severn BasilicaDuring the Roman period, Lepcis was the Mediterranean outlet of a trade route through the Sahara into the interior of Africa. Its economy was based on agriculture, and some of its products, particularly olives, became profitable trade items. Olive cultivation added so much to the towns prosperity that in 46 BC the Roman ruler Julius Caesar imposed an annual tax of three million pounds of oil on Lepcis. Inscriptions and literary sources attest to the wealth of the Lepcis Magna elite, who supported the continuing growth of the city.

Apse of the Severn basilica(Justinian converted it into a church in the 6th century AD)More PhotosLate in the 1st century BC, a quarry was opened at Ras el-Hammam south of Lepcis Magna that yielded an exceptionally fine, hard limestone used to build most of the towns later structures. In AD 120 the people of Lepcis Magna built an aqueduct to carry water. In later years they also completed luxurious baths on the model of the imperial baths in Rome, a large circus or racetrack, and other public buildings.

detail of the winged GriffinsA major period of construction occurred during the reign of Emperor Lucius Septimius Severus, which began in 193. Septimius Severus was born in Lepcis Magna. He honored his place of birth by funding an ambitious building program that included a magnificent new forum and a richly decorated four-way arch marking the intersection of the citys two main streets. He also built a new enclosed harbor linked to the city center by a broad street nearly 366 m (1201 ft) in length and lined with colonnades. Severus visited Lepcis Magna in 203 and marked the occasion by announcing significant tax exemptions.

detail from Severn basilicaBy the 4th century, the desert tribes of North Africa had grown strong, and they raided the territory around Lepcis Magna. Initially, the citys fortified walls saved it from being plundered. Roman authority in North Africa had grown so weak, however, that the Roman governor in the region would not help unless the city provided camels and provisions for his army.

Civil Basilica, later converted to a Byzantine churchIn 365 an earthquake damaged Lepcis Magna severely, but the greatest blow to the citys prosperity came with the invasion of a Germanic tribe called the Vandals about 455. By 534 Lepcis Magna had become part of the Byzantine Empire. During this period of upheaval, much of Lepcis Magna was abandoned. By the time Arabs controlled the region in 642, the city was almost empty.

a Roman citizenPhotos of a Roman villa and Mosaics

Because most of the Lepcis Magnas fortified walls had been destroyed, the city was covered by sand over time. In the dry desert climate, the ruins of Lepcis Magna were preserved by these sand dunes. Between 1920 and World War II (1939-1945), when Libya was an Italian colony, Italian authorities began to excavate the city. After the war, the British continued work at the site and since that time have discovered many well-preserved Roman remains.

Panels from Leptis Magnanow in the National Museum, Tripoli

Archaeological excavations in Lepcis Magna have unearthed several layers of ruins that show various periods of occupation at the site. Underneath the remains of a large theater built in the 1st century AD is a cemetery probably dating from the 4th or 3rd century BC. Particularly well-preserved are 2nd- and early 3rd-century Roman buildings that include the elaborate Hadrianic Baths as well the remains of the forum and basilica erected during the era of Emperor Septimius Severus. The 3rd-century Hunting Baths, named for a fresco, are also in remarkable condition. More recent discoveries have included a Roman house with an extensive underground water system that provides new glimpses into the everyday life of residents of Lepcis Magna.Text by Microsoft Encarta

artist concept of the Hadrianic baths