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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