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Known as Oea in antiquity when Tripolitania (three cities) also included Leptis Magna and Sabratha. Today, Tripoli is the political and administrative capital and main commercial centre of Libya. Over the centuries it has seen the succession of various dominations. Founded by the Phoenicians around 500 BC, after the fall of Carthage it was colonised by the Romans who used the city as a supply of grain, oil, slaves and wild animals.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, Tripoli saw a new moment of splendour during the Arab domination. In the 16tKnown as Oea in antiquity when Tripolitania (three cities) also included Leptis Magna and Sabratha. Today, Tripoli is the political and administrative capital and main commercial centre of Libya. Over the centuries it has seen the succession of various dominations. Founded by the Phoenicians around 500 BC, after the fall of Carthage it was colonised by the Romans who used the city as a supply of grain, oil, slaves and wild animals.
With the fall of the Roman Empire, Tripoli saw a new moment of splendour during the Arab domination. In the 16th century, after a brief period of rule by Spain and the Knights of Malta, Tripoli was conquered by the Ottomans who remained in power until 1911. It was in this year that the Italian colonial period began. From the Roman period remains the arch of Marcus Aurelius, while the Turkish and Italian colonial periods also left a distinctive mark on the city’s architecture. Scattered through the medina, the old part of the city guarded by solid walls, are numerous historic mosques and hammams. The lively medina retains a great deal character and provides a visually exciting and authentic shopping experience as much of the goods on display in the souqs cater to local taste. The Red Castle is the most dominant feature of Tripoli as it sits on the northern promontory overlooking what used to be the sea before land was reclaimed. The massive structure comprises a labyrinth of courtyards, alleyways and houses built up over the centuries of continuous modification during the various dominations. Today the castle houses the Jamahiriya Museum which is rich in exhibits coming from all regions of the country and from the various historical periods. The facilities are excellent and were built in consultation with UNESCO. The most impressive exhibits are the mosaics, statues and artefacts from classical antiquity that make up one of the finest collections in the Mediterranean. In front of the museum is Green Square, the heart of the capital
Located on the sea front about 120 km east of Tripoli, Leptis Magna is without doubt one of the most significant Roman archaeological sites in all of the Mediterranean. Founded by the Phoenicians and already an important port city for the Carthaginians, it was colonised by the Romans following the third Punic War and became a commercial centre of primary importance. It was the arrival point of caravans coming from
south and east of Africa whose merchandise was then transported by sea to Rome and others centres of the empire. Trading brought the city great wealth, which was supplemented by the rich agricultural land surrounding it. Leptis Magna owes its splendour to Septimus Severus who adorned his native city with beautiful monuments in the Roman imperial style.
The city flourished until it was sacked by the Vandals in 455 AD. Roman rule returned briefly to Leptis in 533 AD when intensive repairs were carried out but local tribes revolted and eventually the area reverted to pastoral nomadism dominated by the Berbers. The Arab invasions of 644 AD wiped out the last traces of Roman life from the region and in the 11th century Leptis Magna was finally abandoned to the encroaching sand dunes. When large-scale excavation began in the 20th century it was discovered that the sands had preserved the ruins remarkably well. The scale is massive and there are numerous buildings to visit: the Severan Arch, excellently restored, which was erected in honour of Emperor Septimus Severus’ visit to his hometown in 203 AD; the immense Hadrianic Baths, the largest outside Rome; the partially covered nymphaeum, a shrine dedicated to the worship of nymphs; the beautiful market place in which every stone reveals a story of daily life in the ancient Roman Empire; two large forums, similar in design and grandiosity to the imperial forum in Rome; the detailed basilica and theatre from whose tiers is revealed an unforgettable view of marble columns standing out against a background of blue sea; and continuing along the coastline about 700 metres west are the circus and amphitheatre where chariot races and other spectacles were held.
One of the more significant and better preserved Roman archaeological sites, Sabratha is found on the coast about 70 km west of Tripoli. Its origins date back to the 5th century BC when the town probably began as a seasonal trading post of the Carthaginians. Over two centuries, it became an important commercial port and contains various temples, the Justinian Basilica, thermal baths and forum.
Certainly the most valuable monument of the site is the large theatre, restored in the 1930’s by Italian archeologists. This is the largest theatre in Africa and particularly evocative for its three tiers of 108 marble and granite columns with capitals in varying styles and the magnificent stage front decorated by bas-reliefs in white marble.
h century, after a brief period of rule by Spain and the Knights of Malta, Tripoli was conquered by the Ottomans who remained in power until 1911. It was in this year that the Italian colonial period began.
From the Roman period remains the arch of Marcus Aurelius, while the Turkish and Italian colonial periods also left a distinctive mark on the city’s architecture. Scattered through the medina, the old part of the city guarded by solid walls, are numerous historic mosques and hammams. The lively medina retains a great deal character and provides a visually exciting and authentic shopping experience as much of the goods on display in the souqs cater to local taste. The Red Castle is the most dominant feature of Tripoli as it sits on the northern promontory overlooking what used to be the sea before land was reclaimed. The massive structure comprises a labyrinth of courtyards, alleyways and houses built up over the centuries of continuous modification during the various dominations. Today the castle houses the Jamahiriya Museum which is rich in exhibits coming from all regions of the country and from the various historical periods. The facilities are excellent and were built in consultation with UNESCO. The most impressive exhibits are the mosaics, statues and artefacts from classical antiquity that make up one of the finest collections in the Mediterranean. In front of the museum is Green Square, the heart of the capital
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