Tunisia - The archaeological site of Sbeïtla

Located in the center-west of the country, the archaeological site of Sbeïtla contains the remains of the ancient city of Sufetula Musuniorum (Sufetula des Musunii). Founded ex nihilo by the Roman administration during the 3rd quarter of the 1st century AD The agglomeration was established on a fairly flat plateau in a loop of the Sbeïtla wadi, immediately below an abundant perennial source which emerges in the bed of the wadi, which made it possible to divert water into the city by an aqueduct bridge still in operation. It was orthogonal in plan and covered an area of ​​approximately 50 ha. Its road network consisted of straight streets, some oriented North-South and others oriented East-West, intersecting at right angles and delimiting rectangular blocks. The archaeological remains preserved until today are those of a colonial-type city of imperial Rome with all its components, in particular the large public square which is entered by a triumphal door with three bays preceded by four steps and which faces a pagan worship complex made up of three temples, the large public baths and other smaller bathing establishments, a public fountain, the theater, the amphitheater, triumphal arches, an aqueduct bridge over the Wadi Sbeïtla about fifty meters in length and resting on three piles, houses, etc. Measuring 37.20m long and 34.75m wide and still retaining part of its original paving, the public square or forum which was the center of civic and social life was surrounded by porticoes on three sides. The fourth side, the western one, is occupied by three temples built on a high platform. According to an identification not yet confirmed but widely shared by specialists, they are considered to be the Capitol which was a sanctuary dedicated to the veneration of the divine capitoline triad protecting the city of Rome and which was composed of Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Separated at the base by passages, the temples are joined upstairs by a platform preceding the buildings and which was also to serve as a platform.