11/02/2025
The Amphitheatre of El Jem
This is the largest colosseum in North Africa. It bears an outstanding witness to Roman architecture, notably monuments built for spectator events, in Africa. Located in a plain in the center of Tunisia - in the small village of El Jem, this amphitheater is built entirely of stone blocks, with no foundations and free-standing. In this respect it is modelled on the Coliseum of Rome without being an exact copy of the Flavian construction. Its size (big axis of 148 m and small axis 122 m) and its capacity (judged to be 35,000 spectators) make it without a doubt among the largest amphitheaters in the world.
Its façade comprises three levels of arcades of Corinthian or composite style. Inside, the monument has conserved most of the supporting infrastructure for the tiered seating. The wall of the podium, the arena and the underground passages are practically intact. This architectural and artistic creation built around 238 AD, constitutes an important milestone in the comprehension of the history of Roman Africa. The Amphitheatre of El Jem also bears witness to the prosperity of the small city of Thysdrus (current El Jem) at the time of the Roman Empire.
The monument of El Jem is one of the most accomplished examples of Roman architecture of an amphitheater, almost equal to that of the Coliseum of Rome.
*
*
*
