Leptis Magna, Libya

The Forgotten Monument Of Time

by Dimitri Laspas

It created magnificent cities and temples and some still survive today, most notably the sites in the city of Rome itself and the various well known temples that are today top tourist attractions, like Baalbek in Lebanon, the temple of Córdoba, Spain or the Roman Temple of Évora in Portugal.

There is one of its imperial city’s which is perhaps the best preserved and is the largest Roman city outside Rome itself, yet it is the least visited.

This is Leptis Magna in Libya, North Africa. It was a huge city and a major Roman hub for good travelling between Europe and Africa. Today, Leptis Magna is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Once home to 80,000 people it was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebda in the Mediterranean, which saw it grow as a major trade centre of the region. Founded by Phoenicians from Tyre or Sidon (now Lebanon), in the 7th century BC, over time, it has witnessed many influences and rulers over time.

Leptis Magna was once one of the most important African cities of the Roman Empire. However it has been pillaged and left abandoned with much of it buried beneath the desert sand for many years.

Perched on a hillside with stunning views over the Mediterranean, the ruins are a site to behold, with the above as well as a racecourse. The vast amphitheatre could seat 15,000 spectators on its terraces overlooking the sea beyond.

Libya has seen many rulers of the years including the Phoenicians, the Carthaginians, Persians, Egyptians and Greeks before the entire region becoming a part of the Roman Empire. Later it also saw both Ottoman and Italian rule. It is therefore no wonder that Libya offers some stunning and diverse sites.

In recent times, due to the political instability in the country, many countries around the world advise their citizens not to travel to Libya. But as the nation stabilises, it is tourism that will bring it back onto the global map with such amazing sites.

If travel and borders open and business normalises for Libya, there are plenty of things to see in this fascinating land.

Cyrene - is considered to be one of the most impressive Greco-Roman sites in the world and one of the best Classical Greek sites beyond Greece itself. Here you will find the ruins of the great sanctuary of god Apollo. The Cyrene Amphitheatre, built in the 6th century BC, is the largest Greek site in Africa.

Sabratha – the picturesque Roman ruins overlook the Mediterranean and again this was an important ancient trading route of the Libyan coastline.

Much of the ruins were reconstructed by the Italians under Mussolini who gave speeches from the ancient theatre. Today, there is a 3-storey theatre, temples and the remains of luxury Roman villas, offering stunning mosaics. Sabratha is also home to the Byzantine-era Basilica of Justinian.

Ghadames – located close to the Algerian/Tunisia border, this ancient city consists of a labyrinth of tunnels, houses, courtyards and places of worship, built underground to offer protection from the hot Sahara Desert.

Arch of Marcus Aurelius – this was constructed around 165AD in the city of Oea. The marble arch stood at the intersection of the city’s main streets at the time.

Leptis Magna was and in a way still is a jewel in the Roman Empire’s crown and one that has been magnificently preserved.

Perhaps its Libya’s limited global standing that has allowed for it to still be so perfectly preserved, but when the time comes to open up to visitors, the site must be heavily protected in order to not be spoilt.

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