Thuburbo Minus (Tebourba) – Amphitheatre & Capitol
Thuburbo Minus · Tuburbo Minus · Tebourba
Roman (1st c BCE – 7th c CE; colony under Hadrian)·Roman (Africa Proconsularis) / Early Christian·🇹🇳 Manouba Governorate, Medjerda Valley, 28 km west of Tunis, Tunisia
About
About Thuburbo Minus (Tebourba) – Amphitheatre & Capitol
Road town on the fertile Medjerda floodplain, Thuburbo Minus became Hadrianic colonia with Capitol, baths, amphitheatre (56×46 m oval) destroyed 1680 for bridge stone, and olive presses. Inscriptions record alimenta and grain annona to Carthage. Punic cisterns reused. Byzantine fort overlies forum.
Why it mattersKey Roman (1st c BCE – 7th c CE; colony under Hadrian) site illustrating Roman (Africa Proconsularis) / Early Christian urbanism and medjerda grain market and olive press centre controlling tunis–béja road.
Open questions
Mysteries & theories
Mysteries
- 01Amphitheatre orientation vs Medjerda floodplain
Theories
- 01Hadrian's alimenta town model
Theories are interpretations, not findings. The seal above tells you how much scholarly weight the place carries.
History
How it came to be
- Built
- Carthaginian market town; colonia under Hadrian c. 128 CE
- Period
- Roman (1st c BCE – 7th c CE; colony under Hadrian)
- Culture
- Roman (Africa Proconsularis) / Early Christian
- Builders
- Roman (Africa Proconsularis)
- Purpose
- Medjerda grain market and olive press centre controlling Tunis–Béja road
- Excavation
- Partially excavated
Carthaginian market town; colonia under Hadrian c. 128 CE
Initial construction / foundation
20th century
Modern archaeological survey and excavation
On the ground
Structures & features
36.8295° N · 9.8411° E · 20 m · 3 mapped features
Thuburbo Minus (Tebourba) — Principal Gate
gateMain gate and rampart section at Thuburbo Minus (Tebourba) – Amphitheatre & Capitol
36.8301° N · 9.8417° EThuburbo Minus (Tebourba) — Central Forum/Basilica
forumForum–basilica complex at Thuburbo Minus (Tebourba) – Amphitheatre & Capitol
36.8295° N · 9.8411° EThuburbo Minus (Tebourba) — Baths/Cisterns
bathsBaths and cistern cluster at Thuburbo Minus (Tebourba) – Amphitheatre & Capitol
36.8289° N · 9.8405° E