Pupput
Soukhine · Colonia Aurelia Commoda Pia Felix Augusta Pupput · Hammamet
Punic to Islamic (6th c BCE–9th c CE; peak 2nd–4th c)·Punic / Roman / Early Christian / Byzantine·🇹🇳 Nabeul Governorate, Tunisia
About
About Pupput
Coastal colonia tucked under modern Hammamet hotels, Pupput is Tunisia's largest Roman necropolis city — 3000+ tombs excavated and residential quarter revealed after 1990s rescue digs. Punic harbour village 6th c BCE; Roman municipium under Antoninus Pius, colonia under Commodus. Remains: 1.2 ha residential insula with House of the Horses (mosaics), bath mosaic floors, olive press, colonnaded cardo, Capitol fragment, and necropolis of columbarium cremations to Nippens chamber tombs with frescoes (3rd c Christian). Continuous ceramic sequence Punic to Arab. Modern encroachment paradoxically preserved tombs beneathhotel gardens.
Why it mattersTunisia's largest stratified necropolis documenting cremation→inhumation→Christian transition and Punic survival under Rome.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Why necropolis expanded so vastly at modest town — regional cemetery?
- 02Depth of Punic layer beneath colonia
Theories
- 01Port-of-Nabeul satellite theory
- 02Mortuary specialization for Cap Bon (Bonifay)
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Punic village 6th c BCE; Roman street grid 1st–2nd c CE; peak 2nd–5th c; Byzantine reoccupation
- Period
- Punic to Islamic (6th c BCE–9th c CE; peak 2nd–4th c)
- Culture
- Punic / Roman / Early Christian / Byzantine
- Builders
- Punic / Roman
- Purpose
- Coastal market and cemetery town exporting ceramics and fish sauce to Carthage
- Excavation
- Excavation ongoing
Punic village 6th c BCE; Roman street grid 1st–2nd c CE; peak 2nd–5th c; Byzantine reoccupation
Initial construction
c. 1313 CE
Major expansion
On the ground
Structures & features
36.3944° N · 10.5733° E · 12 m · 2 mapped features
Necropolis (South)
necropolis3000-tomb field with columbarium and frescoed chambers
36.3955° N · 10.5730° EResidential Quarter (House of Horses)
domusDomus with horse mosaic and olive press
36.3940° N · 10.5740° E
Gallery