Remnants of the capitol rise above the carpet of wildflowers

The repurposed forum houses a large olive oil press

An arch of the temple of Caelestis frames the view of a distant mountain

Thububo Majus - Introduction

Located about 60 km south-west of Tunis, the ancient city of Thuburbo Majus is another enjoyable day trip. Here, remnants of the capitol, temples, markets, baths, and residential villas all offer a glimpse to the glorious and prosperous past that climaxed under Augustus and Hadrian. Thuburbo Majus was heavily damaged by the Vandals and was abandoned by its inhabitants during the era of the Arabian conquest of the Maghreb.

After attempting to find time to get out of town during the weekend, we finally found managed to free up a Saturday to head down to the Roman and Punic site of Thuburbo Majus. Late in spring, many of the grasses had already dried up and most of the wildflowers had already disappeared. Uncharacteristically, the sky was overcast. After politely stating that we were not interested in purchasing any “artifacts,” we headed past the entrance gate into the archaeological site. Remnants of a Roman road led us up to the main area. Short walls of Roman homes and businesses peeked out past the tall grass. In some, remnants of kilns or olive presses could be found. Nearby a large grasshopper about the size of my hand hopped on a stone block.
Moving onward, we reached the capitol. The large front stairs and several columns are all what remains. In the forum, another large olive press had been placed. Nearby was the first of several baths. Geometric mosaics covered the floors of the large social structure. Even though it began sprinkling, we were determined to continue onward, seeing at least some of the major areas. Spanning the tops of several large columns was some carved Roman writing. This building, called the Portico of the Petronii, used to be a gymnasium where the Romans would work out. After touring the two other baths, the rain became quite heavy, necessitating a return to the car.

A Pegasus stone relief carving stands in front of the capitol	Geometric mosaics still grace the floors of the summer bath at Thuburbo Majus	Portico of the Petronii, a Roman gymnasium