Blood and Sand. The majestic El Jem Amphitheater. Tunisia, Africa. Roman Heritage of Tunisia - the famous Colosseum of El Jem El Jem in Tunisia

The Colosseum in El Jem (Tunisia) is called the “golden crown of Africa”. This monument, erected from a distance, really resembles the headdress of a royal person. On the territory of modern El-Jem there was then the city of Tisdrus, the cultural center of ancient Africa. The construction of the majestic monument was never completed.

What is an ancient amphitheater?

Is there a Colosseum in Tunisia? Everyone knows the answer to this question. But few know what happened in the amphitheater 18 centuries ago. Let's imagine an ancient African city with its inhabitants, eager for amusements that would terrify even the most cold-blooded modern person.

When the gusty wind over the steppe intensified in the early evening, his conquest was mingled with the hissing of wild animals, death cries and the roar of a crowd of thousands. The echo echoed far around the area. The Colosseum in Tunisia, which today is visited by sedate tourists, once shuddered with games. More than thirty thousand people are accommodated in the tiers of the amphitheater, where gladiators met in mortal combat, horses, panthers, lions clashed...

The huge arena is one of the largest created during the era of the Roman Empire and is almost equal in size to the Roman Colosseum. Its length is 65 meters. Width - 39 meters. On a ghostly plain, blown by endless winds, this monument rises like a powerful and formidable fortress.

Construction

Where is the Colosseum in Tunisia? The cultural monument is located in El Jem. It is worth talking about a city that was once a prosperous colony of Rome. Namely about Thysdrus. The population worshiped the goddesses of Africa and the god of wine, Dionysus, who, while still a small child, bravely rode a tiger. With the same courage, local residents began building their Colosseum at the beginning of the second century AD.

This is the time of the highest flowering of their self-awareness, influence, wealth, power. The amphitheater is the embodiment of impeccable harmony. Everything is clearly thought out. An unthinkable, breathtaking combination of monumentality and upward aspiration.

The Rise of Thisdrus

What is the Colosseum in Tunisia? Why was it built? This amphitheater is a monument created by the inhabitants of the city of Thysdrus to themselves. What kind of ambition did you have to have to transform a small steppe village into a luxurious oasis?

Back in 50 BC, local Berbers demonstrated to Caesar both obstinacy and hard work, and the ability to trade. At that time the city lived mainly by agriculture. They managed to collect three hundred thousand fours of wheat - an incredible amount for the ancient world - from their fields. This is what became the basis of their later prosperity, thanks to which they were able to build their Colosseum. In the Tunisian city of El Jem today it is the main attraction.

Cruel Games

Masses of people flocked from all over the region to the performance, which captivated and stunned the audience with incredible, cruel, and often deadly fights. In the vast catacombs there was an ominous, terrifying smell, endless labyrinths and cages for animals and people. Terrible sounds made by hunters and their victims were heard here.

Panthers, tigers, lions and criminals on death row were all waiting to enter the arena. A simple but merciless principle reigned here - the survival of the fittest. The building accommodated much more spectators than the city’s inhabitants. The Colosseum in Tunisia is the last great amphitheater built in the Roman Empire and one one of the best examples of this type of buildings.

Gladiator - a prestigious profession in Antiquity

Fanfares announced the start of the games. Participants walked along the noisy stands. Then a bright theatrical performance began, in which the veneration of the Roman gods played a significant role. The gladiators marched to the cheers of the crowd. For huge sums of money, they were willing to risk their lives in a fight with wild animals.

Such spectacles were quite consistent with the lifestyle of a prosperous state. Here such qualities as success, strength, and willingness to take risks were highly valued. Heroes were respected and extolled. The Colosseum was an excellent place for gladiators to test their strength.

Appearance

The ancient architects did their best. They managed to create an amphitheater in which the arena was perfectly illuminated by the sun's rays entering through numerous openings. The mosaic was made in a unique style. The architectural appearance of the building combines the traditions of Arab and Roman architecture.

The funds needed to create the monument came from the olive trade. Over the two hundred years that have passed since the time of Caesar, the city has been transformed into a picturesque grove. The meager steppe region, depleted over centuries, became a major supplier of olive oil. Money and ambition reigned in the modest colony, and the amphitheater became the place for their demonstration.

No convincing historical source can explain why such a prosperous city arose here in this area. After all, construction required enormous effort. The monument is built of sandstone, which was transported here from afar. There are no fancy ornaments on the walls, which is explained by the peculiarities of the material on which the design will not stick. But much more important the shade of the stone gives the amphitheater an amazing glow during the day.

Fall of Thisdrus

Construction lasted eight years. The city resisted the rise of taxes in the Roman Empire, elected and crowned its own emperor. But he soon suffered a crushing defeat. The Colosseum in Tunisia was never completed. Thisdrus himself sank into oblivion. Centuries have passed. The conquerors destroyed part of the amphitheater. The catacombs often served as a refuge for rebels.

Colosseum in Tunisia: reviews

Having become familiar with the history of this monument, a person planning a trip to Tunisia expects to see the ruins. After all, the construction of the Colosseum was not completed, and a lot of time has passed since the ancient city fell. However, according to reviews, the amphitheater is a completely harmonious building. The building, which has rounded shapes and arched windows, looks very festive against the background of the blue sky.

The monument is striking in its scale. It arouses interest even among tourists who do not consider themselves lovers of Antiquity. And for people with a developed imagination, when visiting the Colosseum, pictures of brutal gladiatorial battles appear before their eyes. The numerous rows cannot fail to attract attention. As already mentioned, the theater seated about thirty thousand people. And all these people were overwhelmed by a thirst for bloody spectacles.

A visit to the Colosseum is included in almost every excursion program. The guides tell amazing stories not only about the construction of the amphitheater, but also provide some interesting facts. Thus, many of them claim that the famous film "Gladiator" was filmed here.

Colosseum in El Jem (Tunisia) - description, history, location. Exact address, phone number, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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One of the most visited attractions in Tunisia, the Roman amphitheater in the city of El Jem can boast of sustained tourist interest for three reasons. Firstly, this is a real Colosseum, with its grandeur quite capable of competing with its Roman counterpart. Secondly, during the years of glory it was considered the third largest in the Roman Empire after the Roman theater itself and the amphitheater in Capua. Finally, the Colosseum in El Jem is an honorary member of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here you can feel like a gladiator in the arena, a spectator on the podium or an emperor in a box, go down into the underground rooms and examine the cells for gladiators and wild animals and wander through the numerous galleries, climbing higher and higher. And in July-August you can also enjoy classical music performed by the best European orchestras.

A little history

The Colosseum at El Jem was built between 230 and 238. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, rebellions in the provinces, one of which was Tunisia, caused more and more concern to the authorities. Following the wise principle of “bread and circuses,” the proconsul of Africa, Gordian I, started the construction of a grandiose lease for gladiatorial fights in the center of the agricultural region of Tunisia - El Jem. The Colosseum could accommodate up to 30 thousand spectators, many of whom came from afar specifically to enjoy the spectacle, often bloody. The Colosseum was built on a flat surface (and not on a hillside, as often happened in those days); for its construction, sandstone stone was delivered from the quarries of Salakta, 30 km from El Jem, on the coast.

The Colosseum in El Jem is the third largest in the world and the best preserved.

What to see

Acquaintance with the Colosseum in El Jem inevitably begins at the entrance to the city - against the backdrop of one or two-story buildings in the Tunisian hinterland, its bulk literally props up the sky. All roads in El Jem, of course, lead to the amphitheater, so it’s impossible to get lost here.

The entrance to the Colosseum is from its south side; from here you have a better view of the structure as a whole, which we recommend taking advantage of while keeping your cameras at the ready. Having entered the territory of the amphitheater, pass the foundations of its galleries and go straight to the arena measuring 138 by 114 meters. From here the Colosseum opens in all its glory: tiers of spectator stands, an imperial box opposite and a corridor blocked by bars leading to underground rooms.

Pay attention to the square grate at the far end of the arena - there was once an elevator that lifted gladiators and wild animals, and figured holes - drains for blood.

Next, you should go down to the basements of the Colosseum and look into the chambers where gladiators and animals were kept, waiting for their entry into the arena, and also see a deep well - water was delivered here through a 15-kilometer underground aqueduct. Ventilation holes overhead provided air circulation.

Stairs on the south side of the Colosseum lead to the second, third and fourth floor tiers. From the top there is an excellent view of the plains of central Tunisia stretching beyond the horizon.

Address, opening hours and cost of visiting

Address: El Jem, L'Amphitheatre.

Opening hours: in summer from May 1 to September 15 from 7:30 to 19:00, in winter - from 8:00 to 17:30.

Entrance - 10 TND, children under 12 years old entry is free. The ticket is also valid for visiting the El Jem Archaeological Museum. If you have a camera at the entrance, you must also pay for the right to take pictures - 1 TND. Tablets, smartphones, etc. are not subject to a fee.

Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

After the first visit to the center of Mahdia, the friendly, polite and hospitable attitude of the local residents, the idea of ​​an independent trip to El Jem, which is located only 40 km away, was born. Getting to the famous Tunisian Amphitheater (or the local Colosseum, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List) and the Archaeological Museum (or the local mosaic museum and Villa Africa) turned out to be as easy as shelling pears and incredibly inexpensive on a local minibus (luage). The louages ​​station is located next to the Ezzahra metro station (you need to walk 300 meters along the road along the railway tracks towards the center, there will be a station on the left, you can ask the locals for “Station de louages”, they will politely show you, and even guide you through). You don’t need to buy a ticket, you give the money (3 dinars) to the driver, the ride takes 30 minutes. Along the way you see endless expanses of olive plantations. In general, I have never seen so many olive trees anywhere, no matter what direction you drive in Tunisia - there is an endless ocean of olives everywhere. In El Jem, the Luage station is located even more conveniently, exactly in the middle between the Colosseum and the museum, next to the El Jem Mosque (7 minutes in any direction). The mosque is located at the intersection of two streets: Hedi Chaker Avenue, along which the minibus travels from Mahdia (after passing the mosque straight along this avenue for about 50 meters - on the right is the final stop of the lawns), and the street of the Great Mosque. If you turn right along the last one, you will come out to the amphitheater, if you turn left, you will come to the mosaic museum. It is impossible to get lost, the only thing is that the station is located in the depths of the courtyard, and I almost passed by):... To begin the exploration of ancient Thisdrus, it is on the site of this ancient city that modern El-Jem stands, I decided, after all, from the amphitheater, repeatedly seen in photographs on the World Wide Web. After walking along a slightly curved street with small nondescript houses for about 5-7 minutes, I found myself in front of a majestic building of the Roman era. The El-Jema Amphitheater is surprisingly well preserved, despite all the vicissitudes of its historical fate. This grandiose structure, erected at the beginning of the 3rd century AD, was not completed due to the outbreak of the Gordian uprising, and later was repeatedly used as a shelter by the rebel Berbers (therefore subjected to shelling), in addition, the stone blocks of the amphitheater were used for the construction of houses over the centuries and mosques of the city, which was also more than once erased from the face of the earth during conquests. There is a legend that the famous leader of the united Berber and Jewish tribes, Dahiya el-Kahina, who led the liberation movement against the first Arab conquests on the African continent, spent her last days in the famous amphitheater, and her untold wealth is hidden in underground caves. Be that as it may, the amphitheater delights and evokes sad thoughts about the transience of life, the change of eras, rulers and peoples... and, probably, man’s constant desire to touch the eternal... The entrance ticket costs 10.0 dinars (the ticket gives the right to visit the amphitheater itself and the Mosaic Museum, both there and there the ticket is composted at the entrance). With pleasure I climbed to the very top, wandered through the galleries, looked out of the window... The opening views, touching the ancient walls, remembering the hands of many, many generations, stop time, scenes from historical films and read books begin to float before your eyes... And only in the stands do you return at present... it’s very hot... despite the morning (at most 9 o’clock), the sun is baking mercilessly... The impressions remained vivid, but I still couldn’t get rid of the feeling of the heavy energy of the place, probably numerous human suffering in the arena of this amphitheater, groans and torments in the dungeons of slaves and gladiators did not pass without a trace, or maybe these were the pleas of the defenders of Africa from foreign conquerors, not heard by God... who knows... And I, trying to shake off the surging conflicting feelings, went on... to walk along the dusty and hot streets of El-Jem , along which I eventually reached the Mosaic Museum and the Villa Africa located in the back of it. When I went to El Jem, I dreamed of seeing, of course, the Tunisian Colosseum, and I received an indelible impression and enormous pleasure from... visiting the museum and the restored Roman villa. It is not clear why there is very little information on the Internet about this wonderful museum. The museum is small in size and can probably be compared with a large number of provincial museums in any country, including Russia, but it has its own unforgettable and unique charm. Silence and tranquility envelop you, and with genuine interest you plunge into the era of ancient gods and heroes, legends and traditions... The museum contains wonderful, perfectly preserved mosaics from private villas in the ancient Roman quarters of the ancient city, individual fragments are preserved where they were found (for example, on the floors of former premises or the border of a fountain or pond). Mosaics from the beginning of the first millennium are shocking to the core (hunting scenes, scenes from legends, mosaics-amulets); it is no coincidence that in ancient times they were highly valued and served as an external manifestation of wealth and well-being! I stood for a long time in front of the image of an owl (a mosaic-amulet from the evil eye), the panel “The Rape of Europa”... I am also amazed and admired by the painstaking work of archaeologists and restorers who managed to find, preserve (disassemble and reassemble such huge canvases from the smallest particles) and convey to us former greatness... Huge respect to these people! Later I visited the delightful pearl of Tunisia - the Bardo Museum, which displays exhibits from various eras from all over Tunisia (Phoenician, Greek, Byzantine, Ottoman), authentic masterpieces of Roman mosaics and sculpture, the first Christian icons, and incredibly beautiful jewelry. Nothing in this museum can be ignored; the ceilings, the finest work of Tunisian craftsmen, fascinate with their inimitable beauty and delicacy. However, the museum in El Jem won my heart... I spent more than one hour walking around the premises of the museum, the courtyards of the villa, looking at statues, mosaic fragments and enjoying the ancient peace... For some reason I remembered D.S. Merezhkovsky with his Julian the Apostate, perhaps the heroes lived and dreamed in similar villas... “Julian entered the atrium garden. There was a fountain in the open air. Nearby, among the daffodils, acanthuses, tulips and myrtle stood a small bronze statue of Hermes, winged, laughing, like everyone else in the house, ready to flutter and fly away. Bees and butterflies hovered in the sun above the flower garden.” And looking from the steps of the villa at the opening view of the remains of former buildings, I, like Arsinoe once, pointing to Julian to the hill of the Acropolis, whispered “look how good it is”... Truly silence descended into the soul... Villa Africa is the only ancient residence in the world that has been restored and restored with 95% accuracy. Archaeologists managed to reconstruct the building, restore the ancient mosaic, as well as partially the image of the goddess of Africa. Her image on stone was first found in a villa that once belonged to a wealthy citizen of the Roman Empire. The villa was named after this goddess of fertility, who was worshiped throughout Roman Africa. I didn’t want to leave, but I had to go... I was very glad that I didn’t take the excursion, because... I walked as much as I wanted, without rushing anywhere. Impressed by what she saw, she reached the Luazhei station (I sat in the minibus for a bit, I had to wait 10-15 minutes until it filled up) and returned to Mahdia the same way, asked the driver to stop at the Ezzahra station, so as not to walk from the Luazhei station, and changed to metro and after about 1 hour 10 minutes (in total, waiting for the filling of the luage in El Jem and the metro train) I was at the hotel.

Modern El Djem was called Fisdrus in Roman times. It was one of the most beautiful and richest cities of the Roman Empire. Like almost all Roman settlements in Tunisia, it was built on the remains of a Punic city that preceded it.

In the II century. n. BC, when the climate was less arid than today, Fisdrus became an important center for the production of olive oil for export, and by the beginning of the 3rd century it was already competing with Hadrumet (modern Sousse) for the right to be considered the second most important city of Roman North Africa (after Carthage). In today's El Jem you can see the most impressive and impressive ensemble of ancient Roman buildings of all those preserved on the territory of Tunisia, rightfully included in.

African Colosseum

The pearl of this ensemble is a huge amphitheater, not much inferior in scale to the Roman Colosseum. It could simultaneously accommodate 35,000 spectators. In the entire Roman Empire, it was surpassed in size only by the Colosseum (approximately 45,000 spectators) and the unpreserved amphitheater at Capua.

The dimensions of the elliptical amphitheater in El Jem along the main axes are 148 × 122 m, the height of the outer walls reached 36 m. The seats for spectators were located in three tiers, resting on sixty powerful arcades. The honorary box in the center opposite the entrance occupied the height of two tiers. The high vaulted galleries under the benches for spectators, which once played the role of a kind of “foyer,” have been preserved.

There were tunnels underneath the arena. Side passages branched off from the central tunnel, running along the longitudinal axis of the amphitheater. Some of them contained cages for wild animals, while others contained rooms for gladiators. A spoliarium, or simply a morgue, was also set up here.

Pearl of Roman Africa

The amphitheater was built around 238 by the governor of the province of Proconsular Africa, Gordian (it is believed that the construction was never completely completed) and was used for gladiator fights and chariot races. The fate of this huge structure, like the entire city, was tragic.

In 238, an uprising began in North Africa against Emperor Maximinus the Thracian. Gordian was proclaimed the new emperor. The Roman Senate confirmed this election, declaring the hated Maximin an enemy of the fatherland, but Gordian reigned for only 36 days: when his son died in the fight against the Moorish ruler Capellian, Gordian, in despair, took his own life. After this, troops loyal to Emperor Maximin completely destroyed Thisdrus, and the city was never able to recover from this pogrom.

The huge amphitheater stood more or less intact until the 17th century. Later, local residents began to dismantle it into stone for the needs of the city of El-Jem; building material from the ruins of the amphitheater was also taken to Kairouan for the construction of the Great Mosque. The amphitheater also suffered from fighting: during one of the anti-Ottoman uprisings, the Turks fired at it from cannons.

- an outstanding ancient monument located in North Africa, in the fabulous country of Tunisia with an amazing culture and rich ancient history. The amphitheater at El Jem is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. After Capua and the Roman Colosseum, this is the third largest amphitheater, which could simultaneously accommodate more than thirty thousand spectators. The amphitheater was intended for gladiator fights and chariot competitions. Its construction was started by Marcus Aurelius Gordian, who, as proconsul of the African province, declared himself an independent emperor, but after 36 days the uprising was suppressed and construction of the amphitheater was suspended.

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The amphitheater was built in 238. To build it, giant blocks were dug out of the quarries, after which they were hewn and taken to the site of the future amphitheater. The surface of the carefully laid slabs was lined with marble. The Tunisian amphitheater had an oval shape and three above-ground floors. Its length was 149 meters and its width was 24 meters. Rows of stone steps-seats rose to a height of 36 meters. Above the eastern entrance there was an imperial box; under the arena there was an entire underground city with closets for gladiators, prisoners, slaves, as well as cages with predators. The bodies of fighters killed in the arena were placed in a spolinarium located next to the animal cages. The smell of fresh blood inflamed the animals even more. When the public was fed up with gladiator fights and fights with lions, unarmed prisoners, slaves, Christians were released into the arena and fed to hungry, angry predators to the joyful cries of the audience.

There is a legend that the famous warrior El Cajena spent her last days in the famous amphitheater. The Berber princess led a rebellion against the Aglobite dynasty. Through underground passages, through which even a loaded elephant could pass, help came to the besieged soldiers. They say that somewhere here, in underground caves, the untold riches of El Cajena are hidden. By the way, for a long time the amphitheater remained practically untouched. And only in the 17th century it was subjected to cannon fire in order to break the resistance of the Berber warriors who had taken refuge behind impenetrable walls. Later, the stone blocks of the amphitheater were used for the construction of the Great Cathedral Mosque, located 60 km from El-Jem.
Today, part of the arena is specially adapted for regular classical music concerts; the rest of this unique place is open to numerous tourists. Here they can wander through the underground tunnels, stand in the amphitheater arena or sit on the top row of stands to hear the slightest sound coming from the stage thanks to the excellent acoustics. By the way, according to archaeologists, other buildings from the Roman era are located next to the amphitheater. True, all of them are still securely covered with a thick layer of sand.