El Djem

History

The Roman city of Thysdrus was built, like almost all Roman settlements in ancient Tunisia, on former Punic settlements. In a less arid climate than today's, Thysdrus prospered as an important center of olive oil production and export. It was the seat of a Christian bishopric, which is included in the Catholic Church's list of titular sees.

By the early 3rd century, when the amphitheatre was built, Thysdrus rivaled Hadrumetum (modern Sousse) as the second city of Roman North Africa after Carthage. However, following the abortive revolt that began there in AD 238 and Gordian's suicide in his villa near Carthage, Roman troops loyal to the emperor Maximinus Thrax sacked the city. The town is shown on the 4th-century Peutinger Map.

The prosperity of Thysdrus in Roman times, despite the challenges posed by its hostile geographical environment reveals a diversity of economic and craft activities far richer than initially thought. These recent archaeological discoveries open up new perspectives on the workings of this ancient city and challenge the traditional image of a simple commercial centre.

Recent agricultural research has provided some interesting insights into the rural dynamics surrounding Thysdrus. Although the difficult soil and lack of water posed major challenges to agriculture, the remains of rural settlements and small towns reveal more sustained activity than expected. However, the question of the extent of olive growing in the region remains open to debate, due to the absence of ancient oil mills and persistent questions about agricultural practices at the time.

In addition, analysis of the surrounding landscape highlights a degree of ecological degradation, attributable in particular to intensive land use over the centuries. These findings call for in-depth interdisciplinary studies to better understand the interactions between human activities and the environment in ancient times.

Archaeological digs at Thysdrus reveal a remarkable economic and craft vitality. The remains of metallurgical, bone-working, moulding and sculpture workshops bear witness to the ingenuity and creativity of the region's artisans. What's more, although pottery workshops have yet to be identified, ceramic production seems to have played a crucial role in the local economy, as evidenced by the many finds of statuettes and terracotta moulds.