Sbeitla – Roman Ruins

Sbeitla is located in northern-central Tunisia and is one of the best preserved sites in the area filled with Roman ruins and rich in history. While the true history of this market town is unknown, excavation and the nearby Roman ruins show this was once a bustling town in the first and second century.

The area is alive with ruins from baths and temples to theatres and fountains. There are churches and chapels along with three magnificent public fountains dating back to 4AD. You can walk along the original roads and see the magnificent mosaics on the ground as you head to the many historical attractions.

Against the backdrop of countryside, Sbeilta is untouched; it remains a preserved site completed with the Gate of Antoninus, which is the gate to the forum. The Forum is considered the best preserved in the world and has stone floor slabs surrounded by ruined walls which still shows all the rooms and halls that once stood there.

While the majority of the area lies in ruins you can still enjoy the historical sites of the Triumphal Arch of the Teirarchy, the baths, the theatre and the Churches and Chapels. You get a true sense of the city when visiting here just by walking around, most of the ruins enable you to see what once stood there thousands of years ago.

Some of the sites that should not be missed while visiting this beautiful ancient town include the Church of Bellator, Church of Vitalis, Chapel of Jucundus and Church of Servus.

The Sbeitla Museum shares the history of the area with a superb selection of Roman mosaics, sculptures and even a fifth century altar. It is well worth the visit when visiting this town, enabling you to get a true sense of what the town was about and how the people lived.