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Once upon a time Big City part of the Roman Empire, now El Jem is a small town an hour's drive from Sousse. We went there in February, when it was quite warm and the sun was shining brightly. The road ran along olive groves, promising an unforgettable journey. We left Sousse late, so we arrived in the city in the evening. And the majestic El Jem Colosseum appeared before us in the rays of the setting sun.

This is an indescribably beautiful sight.

The town itself is small: small houses of typical white, grouped around the amphitheater, several shops and souvenir shops near it, a mosque with a minaret proudly rising to the sky - that’s all El Jem. Less than a day you need to explore this city with its attractions.

Of course, I remember the Amphitheater more than the town itself. He is the heart of this city, which, by the way, was partly built from the stones of the same Amphitheater. Just as they are fed by luxurious beaches with comfortable hotels, it feeds the entire city, allowing residents to earn some money.

How to get there

As you might guess, there is no airport in this city, so you can get here by car, bus or train from neighboring Sousse, Hammamet or Monastir. Depending on which airport you arrive at (Enfidha or Habib Bourguiba Airport) or which resort you are vacationing at.

By plane

Airports closest to the city:

Enfidha near the city - a popular arrival point for many Russian tourists. Mostly people fly here as part of tourist groups, who are taken by bus to their hotels. It is located very far from Hammamet itself - almost an hour's drive.
Habib Bourguiba Airport near the city - less busy in terms of charter flights, but nevertheless it is sometimes chosen as a place of arrival. It is only 20 minutes from the city.
In the off-season, when tourists no longer come in large numbers, it is possible to fly in on regular flights. In most cases they all end in Carthage airport, near the country's capital Tunisia. By local standards, this is a fairly large airport, which is located 30 minutes from the city.

By train

Trains to El Jem run from Sousse, Hammamet or Tunis, so if you choose this type of transport, you first need to get from the airport to one of these three cities.

In Hammamet, the route from the airport to the city can only be covered by taxi (from 10 EUR); in Monastir by taxi (5 EUR), bus or minibus (1–2 EUR); in Tunisia by taxi (from 10 EUR) or bus (2–3 EUR).

From Monastir you can take a train, bus or minibus to Sousse. I wrote about this in more detail in my article about. From Sousse to El Jem, the cost of travel by train will be 3.5 EUR, and the time will be about 2 hours. You can get to the station by taxi or bus.

There is a direct train from Hammamet, the fare costs 5 EUR, but the station is far from the city. Travel time: almost 2.5 hours.

There is a train from Tunisia, the ticket for which costs from 5–6 EUR. Travel time will be 3 hours.

Train schedules can be found at Tunisian Railways. Keep in mind that trains may be late!

The train station in El Jem is located opposite the Julius Hotel, about 20 minutes' walk from the centre.

By bus

Another option is to take a bus or minibus (called louage here).

From Tunisia you can get to Sousse by bus (5 EUR), and then transfer to a minibus (2–2.5 EUR, the journey is about an hour).

There are no direct buses or minibuses from Hammamet to El Jem, so you must first get to Sousse by train or bus, then transfer to a minibus or bus there.

There are also buses or minibuses from Monastir for 2-3 EUR, the journey is almost an hour or more.

If you are vacationing in Mahdia, then you can also get there by minibus. The trip will cost 1.5 EUR (50 minutes on the road).

Minibus stops are called station de louage. Their peculiarity: the driver will not move until all the seats are filled. You need to pay the ticket directly to the driver. There is no exact departure schedule for minibuses. The principle is this: the driver waits for passengers, and as soon as all 8 seats are filled, she departs. The minibuses also do not have numbers. You need to ask for minibuses to Sousse or El Jem, and they will show you these.

As for buses, tickets are sold in advance at bus stops. You need to get there at least an hour in advance, buy a ticket and take a place in the queue lining up in front of the bus. Buses run 1–2 times a day (morning and evening). The buses don't have numbers either. A sign with the name of the city of arrival is placed on the front window.

If you are traveling by minibus, you will arrive at station de louage, that is, a minibus stop. It is approximately 10-15 minutes' walk from the Julius Hotel. It's easier by bus, as you can ask to be dropped off where it is more convenient for you.

By car

You can rent a car for 25–30 EUR in the off-season, and in season for 40 EUR. To do this: at the car rental company you provide your passport, license (Russian or European will do) and money. And the car is yours. By the way, it’s convenient to look for rental companies in the city and compare prices.

Roads in Tunisia are tolled: from 0.50 EUR to 1 TND. But they are in good condition and are guarded by the police.

We drove just to El Jem, and I really liked the road there: olive trees grow along it, and there are also small towns. There are signs everywhere, so you can easily find your way into the city.

Clue:

El Jem - the time is now

Hour difference:

Moscow 2

Kazan 2

Samara 3

Ekaterinburg 4

Novosibirsk 6

Vladivostok 9

When is the season? When is the best time to go

In the summer months it is very hot in El Jem, the temperature reaches +35 °C, there are few trees and it is very difficult to hide from the heat, so it is better to come in late spring - early autumn, when the heat is already beginning to subside and it becomes more or less comfortable to be there outside during the day.

Moreover, at this time there will be fewer tourists and you can calmly enjoy the spectacle of the El Jem Colosseum. We went there in February, and even in the evening, and I must say that it was not cold.

El Jem in summer

In summer, the weather in El Jem tends to be typical of the weather in the south of Tunisia, that is, the heat can reach +40 °C.

The peak months are in July and August, so be sure to wear a hat and use sunscreen, as the African sun will quickly make itself felt.

El Jem in the spring

Spring is short: from March to April. The temperature rises to +25 °C, and at night +20 °C. However, rain and strong winds are still possible.

El Jem in winter

Winter comes into its own in December. The temperature during the day is +15–20 °C, and in the evening and at night +5–10 °C, but already in March it begins to rise.

El Jem - weather by month

Clue:

El Jem - weather by month

Districts. Where is the best place to live?

Little El-Jem cannot boast of a large number of hotels.

There is one decent hotel in the city itself Hotel Julius what is in close proximity to the amphitheater and railway station. Four, which offers free Wi-Fi, a swimming pool, car rental, good service and well-equipped rooms. WITH detailed description The hotel can be found on, and you can compare prices for accommodation on different sites.

There is another one on the periphery: Les 3 Olives, which is in the town of El Hencha, half an hour away by car. It's more of a guest house, but offering very homely hospitality. It can also be found at.

And that is all. The rest of the nearest hotels are already either in Mahdia or Monastir. If you want to feel the local flavor, then it makes sense to rent an apartment from the locals; you can look at the options.

What are the prices for holidays?

Housing

At Hotel Julius prices start from 80–100 EUR per night, at Les 3 Olives the cost is approximately the same.

Hotels in Mahdia and Monastir offer prices from 25 to 200 EUR.

Taxi

If you need a taxi, it costs 0.5–1 EUR. For example, for people with disabilities or just for those who don't like to walk, this a good option.

Nutrition

You can have a snack in a restaurant for 10–20 EUR per person, and sit in a cafe and drink a cup of coffee and cake for 2–5 EUR.

You can’t buy ready-made meals in supermarkets, but you can take something to eat (a bun or waffles cost from 1 EUR) and water (0.50 EUR).

Main attractions. What to see

The main attraction of El Jem is its Amphitheater. In addition to it, there is also a museum in the city, where objects remaining from the Ancient era are presented; Villa “Africa”, which is located in the backyard of the museum, and two more destroyed amphitheaters, of which little has been preserved.

Top 5

El Jema Amphitheater

Where do you think gladiator movies are made? Some answer that, of course, in the famous Roman Colosseum. But no. Compared to the El Jema Amphitheatre, the Roman Amphitheater is not well preserved, which is why many films dedicated to Ancient era, filmed here. For example, the movie "Gladiator" with Russell Crowe.

Built back in 232–238. n. e., it is very well preserved, despite the fact that many stones from it were used to build the city of El Jem and the Uqba Mosque in Kairouan. The entire southern wall remained completely intact, as well as the passages inside. It was used little. Mainly for gladiator fights and chariot races.

And now it is also used as a stage for different views, because the acoustics there are excellent. When we visited this place, we met children's choir, who rehearsed the performance of the Tunisian anthem and some national songs.

Ticket price: 5 EUR.

Opening hours: from September 16 to June 17 - 07:30–17:30; from June 18 to July 17 - 08:00–17:00; from July 18 to September 15 - 07:30–18:30. The museum has a gift shop, toilets and a cafe.

On the outskirts of the city there are two more excavated amphitheaters, which were destroyed during the period of the Arab conquest. There is little left of them - a few steps and that’s it.

Villa Africa

In addition to the amphitheater, when visiting the El Jem Museum, go to Villa Africa. Login is via single ticket with the museum, since it is located there. This villa has only recently been discovered and excavated.

There you can see perfectly preserved Roman mosaics and learn how the wealthy inhabitants of the city lived during Roman rule.

Beaches. Which ones are better

El Jem is not on the coast, so there are no beaches there.

Churches and temples. Which ones are worth visiting?

There is one mosque in El Jem - the Great Mosque of El Jem (Great Mosque). From the amphitheater it opens beautiful view, and you can see the courtyard decorated with traditional arches. There is a small mausoleum next to the mosque, and the entrance is decorated with a portico with three arches.

Unfortunately, tourists and non-Muslims are not allowed to enter there.

Museums. Which ones are worth visiting?

The El Jem Museum is located separately from the Colosseum, on the street of the Great Mosque, a 15-20 minute walk from the amphitheater. Many of the mosaics are in excellent condition, and the museum is well maintained.

By the way, if you buy a ticket to the Amphitheater, then visiting the museum is free (already included in the price of visiting it). Without visiting the amphitheater, the ticket price is 5 EUR.

Opening hours: from September 16 to June 18 - 08:00–17:30; from June 19 to July 17 - 08:00–17:00; from July 18 to September 15 - 08:00–18:30.

Parks

The city has small squares with palm trees, but there are no large parks.

Tourist streets

A tourist street can be called Habib Bourguiba Avenue, which runs right next to the Amphitheater.

The main souvenir shops, a craft center and numerous eateries and cafes are located on this same street.

What to see in 1 day

In one day you can visit the Amphitheater, the El Jem Museum, and Villa Africa, and there will still be time to walk around the city a little.

What to see in the area

In the vicinity of El Jem there are three tourist cities of Tunisia: , Sousse and. I described how to get there above.

Food. What to try

There are no special dishes in El Jem that are specific to this city. The cuisine here is not much different from Tunisian.

Near the Amphitheater you can find many cafes and small restaurants, but I advise you to pay attention to the contingent that gathers there. In Tunisia, there are all-male cafes, where only men gather, and there are mixed ones, where both women and men come. If you are a girl and go to a men's cafe, then of course no one will kill you, but they will look at you.

Among the most popular among tourists, I would like to highlight the restaurant Le Bonheur 1: low prices (8–10 EUR), but limited choice of dishes. Some good ones: rabbit in sauce for 15 EUR.

Second restaurant Le Bonheur 2 located 10 minutes walk from El Jem Museum: pleasant home furnishings And delicious dishes. The average price tag is 8 EUR.

Holidays

From early July to mid-August, the El Jema Amphitheater hosts International festival symphonic music, which brings together musicians from all over the world.

Tickets for the festival can be bought in El-Jem itself, and in Hammamet, and in Sousse, and in Tunisia, and in Sfax. Cost: from 10 to 20 EUR. What’s great: the organizers arrange a special trip from Sousse, Hammamet or Tunisia - then everything together will cost 30–34 EUR.

In the program of works classical music, local traditional songs, jazz and blues compositions. Usually starts at 21:00.

If you are interested in this festival, then here is its website, there are more shops for every taste and color.

Souvenirs. What to bring as a gift

Among the souvenirs here we came across the so-called “desert roses” - stones different forms from the Sahara, but they are very fragile, as they are formed from a type of gypsum that forms in layers of sand. The price starts from 10 EUR.

Also offered here great amount things with images of the amphitheater - from magnets to keychains. There are also interesting Berber things: teapots, boxes, jewelry, which are brought from the south of Tunisia. Prices start from 2–5 EUR.

How to get around the city

The easiest way to get around the city is to either drive a car or walk.

Taxi. What features exist

Taxi, as everywhere else in Tunisia, yellow color. Price – from 50 euro cents.

Transport rental

You can rent a car in Mahdia or Monastir. From 30 EUR per day. To do this, you need a passport and license (any). On the road to El Jem we spent 5 EUR in gasoline.

Networks local companies There are no car rentals here. In cities, sometimes you come across agencies that write on the sign: Louer a voiture (rent in a car) in French or the same thing in English. You can simplify the search task and try to find rental companies on the Internet; for this, for example, you can use this.

As elsewhere in Tunisia, the rules traffic they don't enforce it here, and there are pedestrians everywhere, so I advise you to be careful when driving.

Vacation with children

It is better to come to El Jem with middle or older children school age. Younger children are unlikely to be interested in visiting historical places, and they are unlikely to remember everything well. But for older children it will be useful to get acquainted with the history of the ancient town of El Jema.

It's been three years since our trip to North Africa, but the memories are still strong, as if the trip happened yesterday. Of all my travels, it was from Tunisia that I received the most vivid impressions. And the most powerful of them, of course, were not even the impressions of a jeep safari in the Sahara, but rather of a giant amphitheater Ancient Roman era(III century AD) in the tiny town of El Jem ( El Jem). Its size is only slightly inferior to the Roman Colosseum and the amphitheater in Italian city Capua (Italian) Capua). But in terms of its preservation, it confidently ranks first in the world!

It is difficult to describe those feelings when you look not at some excavations, but enter, through centuries, with your own feet, into a fully preserved gladiatorial arena that remembers thousands human destinies. Here Roman chariots rushed at enormous speeds, and swords crossed, knocking out sparks... Every battle in this arena was at the limit of human capabilities, because the price was someone's life...

The hand slowly touches the ancient stones of the walls of the amphitheater, the atmospheric soundtrack of Hans Zimmer from the famous film “Gladiator” by Ridley Scott is playing in the headphones and, at the same moment, modern world around you ceases to exist. The few tourists seem to disappear into thin air, and their place in the stands of the amphitheater is taken by the Roman nobility in light, festive, snow-white robes. Women are trying to hide from the hot African sun in the shadow of columns, the hum of voices hangs in the air... Periodically, the tension in the air is broken by the sounds of horns - corn, everyone is waiting for the start of the bloody performance...

Images and feelings are mixed into a single whole, making you completely transported to that distant era. At this moment there is only you and the surrounding space of the majestic El Jem amphitheater!

Modern El-Jem stands on the site of an ancient Phoenician settlement, the age of which, in contrast to the capital of the Phoenician kingdom, is Carthage(founded in 814 BC), even scientists find it difficult to name. After a series of Punic Wars between Rome and Carthage, the latter was destroyed in 146 BC. and turned into a colony. Moving south, the Roman Empire, presumably in 46 BC. Founds the city of Tizdr (lat. Thysdrus), the future El-Jem.

The economic dawn of the settlement falls on the 2nd – beginning. III century, when olive plantations grew around the city, thanks to the favorable climate. Olive oil, in those days, was worth its weight in gold in Rome. In addition, the city was located at the intersection trade routes from Central Africa To Mediterranean Sea. All this led to the fact that Tizdr quickly became one of the most important cities in North Africa, second in importance after Carthage, and its population reached 30 thousand people.

As in any prosperous city, the wealthy demanded spectacles in which to invest their money. So, in 230 AD, by order of the proconsul Mark Antony Gordiana(lat. Marcus Antonius Gordianus), the future emperor, construction of the amphitheater began, which, after 8 years, was stopped.

08. Start of construction.

10. Plan of the amphitheater.

To understand why the amphitheater was never completed, I suggest taking a look at what was happening in those years in the Roman Empire.

11. Presumably, this is what he was supposed to become.

And there everything was extremely sad... In 235 AD. Internecine wars for the imperial throne begin. Conspirators kill the emperor Alexandra Severa along with his mother, after which the Empire begins to burst at the seams. The legions proclaim "their man" emperor - Gaia Julia Maximina Thracian, who became the first emperor to emerge from ordinary soldiers.

A couple of years later, the newly-minted emperor acquired an enemy in the person of proconsul Gordian, who was nominated to the imperial throne by legions loyal to him. Gordian agreed to this adventure on the condition that his son would be co-ruler Gordian II, for which he received the go-ahead from the Senate of Rome.

In the outbreak of the war, in the battle with the legions of Maximin, Gordian the Younger dies near Carthage. Having learned about this, Gordian I commits suicide by hanging himself with his belt... The Roman Senate appoints its own man, a senator, as the new emperor Mark of Clodius Pupien, who continued the war against Maximin.

The deposed Maximin the Thracian himself did not live much longer. Having advanced with an army to Italy, he dies along with his son in the battle near the city of Aquileia, a couple of months after the suicide of Gordian I.

The life of Mark Pupien also ended sadly, who did not deserve the trust of the people and, during the next uprising, was killed by the Praetorians in his own palace. The Roman throne passes Mark Antony Gordian III, grandson of Gordian I.

I will not continue the story about the fate of future emperors, I will only say that the 3rd century for Rome became a real nightmare. Over a 50-year period, more than 26 people become contenders for the imperial bed and almost all of them die violent death.

But, let’s return to our “Tunisian Colosseum” and the reign of Gordian I.

The three-story amphitheater, measuring 138 meters long and 114 meters wide, turned out to be a real majestic beauty. Tall arched galleries with many passages surrounded the sandy arena, 65 meters long and 39 meters wide, and the walls were decorated with multi-colored mosaics depicting galloping horsemen, hunters and the animals they pursued. An imperial box was built above the eastern entrance.

As in most other amphitheatres, gladiator fights served as the main spectacle here. Besides, big size the arena allowed for battles to be fought in war chariots.

The Tizdrus amphitheater also had its own peculiarity. Unlike Italy, in the African "Colosseum" fights with wild predatory animals were common. Both gladiators fought with them, and exclusively animal fights were organized between various types predators. Wild animals, which were released into the arena, were dedicated to the gods: the lion and bull - Saturn and Juno, the panther - Dionysus, the bear - Diana.

As an additional bloody entertainment, unarmed slaves were often released into the arena, who were literally torn to pieces by hungry animals...

Gladiators, wild animals, and slaves were kept in special cells and cages. For these purposes, a whole underground city. Separate rooms were intended for dying gladiators, as well as for storing corpses.

Today this underground city, almost completely preserved and has no analogues in the world, is accessible to visitors. In the cells and passages, once filled with the groans of the dying and cries of war, there is deathly silence.

23. Gladiator's Chamber.

A special feeling arises when you walk through the “corridor of death” along which gladiators entered the arena. Of all the lighting here before, there were only a few torches, as well as a bright White light at the end of the long corridor where the entrance to the arena was located. Maybe this is where the expression “light at the end of the tunnel” comes from, meaning the border between life and death?

After the death of Gordian I, in 238 AD, Thysdrus, severely destroyed by opposition troops, was never able to recover. However, the amphitheater itself survived and stood untouched until the 7th century.

In 699, Tizdr became the center of the revolt of the queen of the united Berber state, Dahiyaal-Kahinu bint-Tabitha ( Al-Kahins) against the Arab conquest. After the defeat of the uprising, the settlement was abandoned by its inhabitants.

City with modern name El Jem(translated from Arabic as “crossroads”) appears here only in early XVII century. It was during this period that the destruction of the amphitheater began. The stones of its walls are used as free building material for the construction of city houses, as well as for construction Great Mosque in Kairouan. Thus, the northern wall of the amphitheater was practically destroyed. The amphitheater, which was used as a fortress, was finally destroyed in 1850 as a result of cannon fire. Ottoman Empire.

Today, like many centuries ago, El Jem is crowded, but mainly because of the numerous tourists. Trade in souvenirs, clothing and other goods is brisk here. There is even a small market equipped for these purposes. At the same time, compared to Rome, the percentage of tourists here is simply tiny, which allows you to enjoy all the beauty of the amphitheater in full, as well as take beautiful deserted shots.

It would not be amiss to add that the price at the Tunisian Coliseum is only 10 TND (300 rubles), plus 1 TND for a filming permit. This is against 12 € at the Roman Colosseum. For 10 dinars you can walk unlimitedly throughout the entire space of the amphitheater, visit the underground galleries and the upper tiers from which you can see panoramic view to modern El Jem.

Surprising, but doesn't spoil it at all general form amphitheater and modern music scene. The fact is that in August, thanks to the stunning acoustics, the annual International Open-Air Classical Music Festival is held here.

33. Musical stage in the amphitheater arena.

One way or another, the El Jema Amphitheater leaves an indelible mark in the memory of any person, even if he is not particularly interested in Ancient Rome. And for history buffs there is even a small Archaeological Museum(a kilometer from the amphitheater), where you can see fragments of preserved mosaics from the walls.

To conclude my story, I want to dispel one modern legend associated with El-Jem. The fact is that almost all tourist catalogs say that the amphitheater is also famous for the fact that certain scenes of the famous film were filmed within its walls" Gladiator"directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe leading role. It is clear that this is being done to lure tourists and increase tourist flow.

In reality, Gladiator was never filmed in El Jem. Firstly, the film company simply would not be allowed to film feature film in a similar historical place. Secondly, Ridley Scott himself said that the size of the Roman Colosseum was too small for his ideas, so what can we say about El-Jem?

Filming of "Gladiator" took place in England, Morocco and Malta, where a model of a huge amphitheater was built, as well as all sorts of additional "street" scenery. Everything else, for example, the upper tiers, was completed using computer graphics. Malta has long been a mecca for such cinema. The no less famous movie “Troy” was also filmed here, as well as the TV series “Game of Thrones”.

Since 1979, exposed to all African winds, the remains of an ancient Roman amphitheater have been listed World Heritage UNESCO.

— outstanding monument antiquity, located in North Africa, in fairyland Tunisia with 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.

Traveling around Tunisia, you can not only enjoy its sights, but also fully improve your health thanks to the unique method of thalassotherapy. Today, thalasso therapy in Tunisia has gained enormous popularity. This sea treatment method includes whole line intensive wellness treatments using sea water, sea air, mud and algae.
The amphitheater was built in 238. For its construction, giant blocks were dug out in 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 virtually 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 it unique place open to numerous tourists. Here they can wander through underground tunnels, stand in the amphitheater arena or sit on the top row stands to hear the slightest sound coming from the stage, thanks to 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.

) travel to North Africa, but the memories are still strong, as if the trip was yesterday. Of all my travels, it was from Tunisia that I received the most vivid impressions. And the most powerful of them, of course, were the impressions not even from a jeep safari in the Sahara, but rather from a giant amphitheater of the Ancient Roman era (III century AD) in the tiny town of El Jem ( El Jem). Its size is only slightly inferior to the Roman Colosseum and the amphitheater in the Italian city of Capua (Italian). Capua). But in terms of its preservation, it confidently ranks first in the world!

It is difficult to describe those feelings when you look not at some excavations, but through centuries, with your own feet, enter a fully preserved gladiator arena, remembering thousands of human destinies. Here Roman chariots rushed at enormous speeds, and swords crossed, knocking out sparks... Every battle in this arena was at the limit of human capabilities, because the price was someone's life...

Your hand slowly touches the ancient stones of the walls of the amphitheater, the atmospheric soundtrack of Hans Zimmer from the famous film “Gladiator” by Ridley Scott is playing in your headphones and, at the same moment, the modern world around you ceases to exist. The few tourists seem to disappear into thin air, and their place in the stands of the amphitheater is taken by the Roman nobility in light, festive, snow-white robes. Women are trying to hide from the hot African sun in the shadow of columns, the hum of voices hangs in the air... Periodically, the tension in the air is broken by the sounds of horns - corn, everyone is waiting for the start of the bloody performance...

The economic dawn of the settlement falls on the 2nd – beginning. III century, when olive plantations grew around the city, thanks to the favorable climate. Olive oil, in those days, was worth its weight in gold in Rome. In addition, the city was located at the crossroads of trade routes from Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. All this led to the fact that Tizdr quickly became one of the most important cities in North Africa, second in importance after Carthage, and its population reached 30 thousand people.

08. Start of construction.

10. Plan of the amphitheater.

To understand why the amphitheater was never completed, I suggest taking a look at what was happening in those years in the Roman Empire.

11. Presumably, this is what he was supposed to become.

But, let’s return to our “Tunisian Colosseum” and the reign of Gordian I.

As in most other amphitheatres, gladiator fights served as the main spectacle here. In addition, the large size of the arena made it possible to organize battles using war chariots.

The Tizdrus amphitheater also had its own peculiarity. Unlike Italy, in the African "Colosseum" fights with wild predatory animals were common. Both gladiators fought with them, and exclusively animal fights were organized between different types of predators. The wild animals that were released into the arena were dedicated to the gods: the lion and bull - to Saturn and Juno, the panther - to Dionysus, the bear - to Diana.

As an additional bloody entertainment, unarmed slaves were often released into the arena, who were literally torn to pieces by hungry animals...

Gladiators, wild animals, and slaves were kept in special cells and cages. For these purposes, an entire underground city was built under the amphitheater arena. Separate rooms were intended for dying gladiators, as well as for storing corpses.

23. Gladiator's Chamber.

A special feeling arises when you walk through the “corridor of death” along which gladiators entered the arena. Of all the lighting here before, there were only a few torches, as well as a bright white light at the end of the long corridor where the exit to the arena was located. Maybe this is where the expression “light at the end of the tunnel” comes from, meaning the border between life and death?

City with a modern name El Jem(translated from Arabic as “crossroads”) appeared here only at the beginning of the 17th century. It was during this period that the destruction of the amphitheater began. The stones of its walls are used as free building material for the construction of city houses, as well as for construction Great Mosque in Kairouan. Thus, the northern wall of the amphitheater was practically destroyed. The amphitheater, which was used as a fortress, was finally destroyed in 1850 as a result of cannon fire by the Ottoman Empire.

It would not be amiss to add that the price at the Tunisian Coliseum is only 10 TND (300 rubles), plus 1 TND for a filming permit. This is against 12 € at the Roman Colosseum. For 10 dinars you can walk unlimitedly throughout the entire space of the amphitheater, visit the underground galleries and upper tiers, which offer panoramic views of modern El Jem.

Surprisingly, the general appearance of the amphitheater is not spoiled at all by the modern music scene. The fact is that in August, thanks to the stunning acoustics, the annual International Open-Air Classical Music Festival is held here.

33. Musical stage in the amphitheater arena.

One way or another, the El Jema Amphitheater leaves an indelible mark in the memory of any person, even if he is not particularly interested in Ancient Rome. And for history buffs, there is even a small Archaeological Museum (a kilometer from the amphitheater), where you can see fragments of preserved mosaics from the walls.

To conclude my story, I want to dispel one modern legend associated with El-Jem. The fact is that almost all tourist catalogs say that the amphitheater is also famous for the fact that certain scenes of the famous film were filmed within its walls" Gladiator"directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe. It is clear that this is being done to lure tourists and increase tourist flow.

In reality, Gladiator was never filmed in El Jem. Firstly, the film company simply would not be allowed to film a feature film in such a historical place. Secondly, Ridley Scott himself said that the size of the Roman Colosseum was too small for his ideas, so what can we say about El-Jem?

Filming of "Gladiator" took place in England, Morocco and Malta, where a model of a huge amphitheater was built, as well as all sorts of additional "street" scenery. Everything else, such as the upper tiers, was completed using computer graphics. Malta has long been a mecca for such cinema. The no less famous movie “Troy” was also filmed here, as well as the TV series “Game of Thrones”.

Since 1979, exposed to all the African winds, the remains of the ancient Roman amphitheater have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

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It's been three years since our trip to North Africa, but the memories are still strong, as if the trip happened yesterday. Of all my travels, it was from Tunisia that I received the most vivid impressions. And the most powerful of them, of course, were the impressions not even from a jeep safari in the Sahara, but rather from a giant amphitheater of the Ancient Roman era (III century AD) in the tiny town of El Jem ( El Jem). Its size is only slightly inferior to the Roman Colosseum and the amphitheater in the Italian city of Capua (Italian). Capua). But in terms of its preservation, it confidently ranks first in the world!

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

The economic dawn of the settlement falls on the 2nd - beginning. III century, when olive plantations grew around the city, thanks to the favorable climate. Olive oil, in those days, was worth its weight in gold in Rome. In addition, the city was located at the crossroads of trade routes from Central Africa to the Mediterranean Sea. All this led to the fact that Tizdr quickly became one of the most important cities in North Africa, second in importance after Carthage, and its population reached 30 thousand people.

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Start of construction.

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Amphitheater plan.

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To understand why the amphitheater was never completed, I suggest taking a look at what was happening in those years in the Roman Empire.

Presumably, this is what he was supposed to become.

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But, let’s return to our “Tunisian Colosseum” and the reign of Gordian I.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

As in most other amphitheatres, gladiator fights served as the main spectacle here. In addition, the large size of the arena made it possible to organize battles using war chariots.

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The Tizdrus amphitheater also had its own peculiarity. Unlike Italy, in the African "Colosseum" fights with wild predatory animals were common. Both gladiators fought with them, and exclusively animal fights were organized between different types of predators. The wild animals that were released into the arena were dedicated to the gods: the lion and bull - to Saturn and Juno, the panther - to Dionysus, the bear - to Diana.

As an additional bloody entertainment, unarmed slaves were often released into the arena, who were literally torn to pieces by hungry animals...

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Gladiator's Cell.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

A special feeling arises when you walk through the “corridor of death” along which gladiators entered the arena. Of all the lighting here before, there were only a few torches, as well as a bright white light at the end of the long corridor where the exit to the arena was located. Maybe this is where the expression “light at the end of the tunnel” comes from, meaning the border between life and death?

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

It would not be amiss to add that the price at the Tunisian Coliseum is only 10 TND (300 rubles), plus 1 TND for a filming permit. This is against 12 € at the Roman Colosseum. For 10 dinars you can walk unlimitedly throughout the entire space of the amphitheater, visit the underground galleries and upper tiers, which offer panoramic views of modern El Jem.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

Musical stage in the amphitheater arena.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

To conclude my story, I want to dispel one modern legend associated with El-Jem. The fact is that almost all tourist catalogs say that the amphitheater is also famous for the fact that certain scenes of the famous film were filmed within its walls" Gladiator"directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe. It is clear that this is being done to lure tourists and increase tourist flow.

Filming of "Gladiator" took place in England, Morocco and Malta, where a model of a huge amphitheater was built, as well as all sorts of additional "street" scenery. Everything else, such as the upper tiers, was completed using computer graphics. Malta has long been a mecca for such cinema. The no less famous movie “Troy” was also filmed here, as well as the TV series “Game of Thrones”.

Since 1979, exposed to all the African winds, the remains of the ancient Roman amphitheater have been included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

blacktroll
27/11/2015

Pages: 1