home Resident card El Jem Tunisia how to get from Sousse. El-Jem

El Jem Tunisia how to get from Sousse. El-Jem

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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!

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...

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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...

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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!

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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 the series 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.

// 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 intersection of trade routes from Central Africa To Mediterranean Sea. All this led to the fact that Tizdr quickly became one of the most important cities North Africa, second in importance after Carthage, and its population reached 30 thousand people.

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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.

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.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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.

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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.

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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 a violent death.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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.

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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.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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. 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...

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

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.

Gladiator's Cell.

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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?

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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.

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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 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.

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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.

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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

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.

Musical stage in the amphitheater arena.

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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.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

To conclude my story, I want to dispel one modern legend associated with El-Jem. The fact is that in almost all travel catalogs it is said 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 shoot a feature film in such 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 African winds, the remains of an ancient Roman amphitheater have been listed World Heritage UNESCO.

// blacktroll.livejournal.com

blacktroll
27/11/2015

Pages: 1

On Mediterranean coast with an unforgettable aroma of jasmine, warm sea and amazing beaches, is Dreamland- Tunisia.

But it would be wrong to think that people go to Tunisia only to lie on the golden sand and taste freshly caught fish. This is a country with an extraordinary culture and ancient history.

Once upon a time, the El Jem amphitheater accommodated more than 300 thousand spectators, which is more than the entire population of the city. It was the third largest building after Capua and the Roman amphitheatres.

Around the El Jem amphitheater there was a huge bazaar, thriving thanks to the sale of olive oil.

Today there are also a lot of people here, but these are already crowds of tourists, and the counters are littered mainly with souvenirs.

The amphitheater was built exclusively for chariot races and gladiator fights. By the way, the film “Gladiator” with Russell Crowe was filmed in the El-Jem amphitheater.

The Tunisian Colosseum was built around 238 AD. e. and until the 7th century. remained almost untouched. Later, it gradually began to be dismantled for the construction of the Great Mosque in Kairouan, and in the 19th century. The amphitheater suffered even more damage from shelling.

The construction of the amphitheater was started by the proconsul of the province of Africa, Marcus Aurelius Gordian. He later declared himself an independent emperor, but his independence lasted only 36 days, and construction of the amphitheater was stopped due to a rebellion that was brutally suppressed by the Roman army.

The amphitheater was oval in shape with three floors above ground. Inside there was a covered staircase that could be used to climb to any spectator floor. Under the Tunisian Colosseum there is an underground city with two passages. Here there were animals in cages, there were closets for gladiators, slaves - everyone was waiting for their time to go on stage for bloody battles.

The size of the amphitheater is amazing even now. Its length is 148 m, width – 122 m and height 36 m.

If you go up to the very top of the auditorium, you can hear what wonderful acoustics there are - here you can hear any rustle coming from the stage.

Today, the El Jema Amphitheater is protected by UNESCO as a cultural heritage site.

There is a legend that in the famous amphitheater she held her last days African warrior El-Kahena. She is also called the Berber princess, as she led the Berber resistance against the Aglobite dynasty. Help for the besieged building came from Mahdia by underground passages. According to legend, these passages are so large that a loaded elephant can easily pass through them.

Local residents believe that the countless treasures of the Berber princess are hidden somewhere in the underground tunnels.

It is also believed that the bricks of the amphitheater are charmed against scorpions and therefore everyone who comes here tries to take a small pebble with them to protect their home from snakes.

Archaeologists think that next to the amphitheater there are also buildings dating back to the Roman era, but for now they are all covered with a thick layer of sand.

It is best to visit the El Jem Amphitheater in the afternoon to see how at sunset the sun illuminates every stone of this unique place.

You can get to the amphitheater by taxi (luage), bus or train from the cities of Sousse, Kairouan or Sfax.

Colosseum in El Jem (Tunisia) - description, history, location. The exact address, phone, website. Tourist reviews, photos and videos.

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One of the most visited attractions in Tunisia, the Roman amphitheater in the city of El Jem can boast of sustained tourist interest for three reasons. Firstly, this is a real Colosseum, with its grandeur quite capable of competing with its Roman counterpart. Secondly, during the years of glory it was considered the third largest in the Roman Empire after the Roman theater itself and the amphitheater in Capua. Finally, the Colosseum in El Jem is an honorary member of the UNESCO World Heritage List. Here you can feel like a gladiator in the arena, a spectator on the podium or an emperor in a box, go down into the underground rooms and examine the cells for gladiators and wild animals and wander through the numerous galleries, climbing higher and higher. And in July-August you can also enjoy classical music performed by the best European orchestras.

A little history

The Colosseum at El Jem was built between 230 and 238. During the heyday of the Roman Empire, rebellions in the provinces, one of which was Tunisia, caused more and more concern to the authorities. Following the wise principle of “bread and circuses,” the proconsul of Africa, Gordian I, started the construction of a grandiose lease for gladiatorial fights in the center of the agricultural region of Tunisia - El Jem. The Colosseum could accommodate up to 30 thousand spectators, many of whom came from afar specifically to enjoy the spectacle, often bloody. The Colosseum was built on a flat surface (and not on a hillside, as often happened in those days); for its construction, sandstone stone was delivered from the quarries of Salakta, 30 km from El Jem, on the coast.

The Colosseum in El Jem is the third largest in the world and the best preserved.

What to see

Acquaintance with the Colosseum in El Jem inevitably begins at the entrance to the city - against the backdrop of one or two-story buildings in the Tunisian hinterland, its bulk literally props up the sky. All roads in El Jem, of course, lead to the amphitheater, so it’s impossible to get lost here.

The entrance to the Colosseum is from its south side; opens from here best view on the structure as a whole, which we recommend using while holding the cameras at the ready. Having entered the territory of the amphitheater, pass the foundations of its galleries and go straight to the arena measuring 138 by 114 meters. From here the Colosseum opens in all its glory: tiers of spectator stands, an imperial box opposite and a corridor blocked by bars leading to underground rooms.

Pay attention to the square grate at the far end of the arena - there was once an elevator that lifted gladiators and wild animals, and figured holes - drains for blood.

Next, you should go down to the basements of the Colosseum and look into the chambers where gladiators and animals were kept, waiting for their entry into the arena, and also see a deep well - water was delivered here through a 15-kilometer underground aqueduct. Ventilation holes overhead provided air circulation.

Stairs on the south side of the Colosseum lead to the second, third and fourth floor tiers. From the top there is an excellent view of the plains of central Tunisia stretching beyond the horizon.

Address, opening hours and cost of visiting

Address: El Jem, L'Amphitheatre.

Opening hours: in summer from May 1 to September 15 from 7:30 to 19:00, in winter - from 8:00 to 17:30.

Entrance - 10 TND, children under 12 years old entry is free. The ticket is also valid for visiting the El Jem Archaeological Museum. If you have a camera at the entrance, you must also pay for the right to take pictures - 1 TND. Tablets, smartphones, etc. are not subject to a fee.

Prices on the page are as of September 2018.

) 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!

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 - kornu, everyone is waiting for the start of the bloody performance...

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 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.

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.

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.

33. Musical stage in the amphitheater arena.

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?

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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Witness to Roman rule is the huge amphitheater in the city of El Jem (formerly Tidre). It is called the third and even the second largest Colosseum (although the Colosseum is only the Colosseum in Rome). However, if you think about it, the arena, built in 238, could accommodate more than 30,000 spectators. Unlike the Roman one, the amphitheater in El Jem is not sandwiched by urban development. The desert plain and mostly one-story houses only emphasize the grandeur of the structure.

The order to build the amphitheater was issued by the ruler Mark Antony Gordian. Construction lasted more than 40 years. The height of the arches reaches 36 meters, the diameter of the arena is 122 meters.

Marble and mosaics were faced with hewn stone. There is practically no one left, because in recent centuries the Colosseum has served as building material for local residents.

The stone terraces could accommodate more than three tens of thousands of spectators. (The stands of the NSC “Olympic” accommodate 2.5 times more people). The imperial box was located above the eastern entrance. Under the arena are underground rooms in which animals and gladiators lived (by the way, the famous Hollywood blockbuster was filmed in El-Jem). Nearby there was a spolinarium - a room where the bodies of dead soldiers were stored. During long “performances,” rivers of blood flowed through the bars from the arena into the dungeon, this further inflamed the wild animals.

The Romans adopted gladiator fights from the Etruscans, who used the games as funeral celebrations with sacrifices. The weak died, the strong lived. As an official public spectacle, the games continued from 105 BC. E. e. and until 400 AD.

Around the amphitheater there are countless antique shops. They had sheep parked. Residents of El-Jem are accustomed to tourists and simply try not to notice them (except for merchants, of course). The streets of the city perfectly illustrate the film “The Diamond Arm”.

How much does it cost to visit El Jem?

The entrance ticket to the El Jem Amphitheater, open in the summer from 7-30 to 09-00 and from 8-00 to 17-30 in the winter, is 10 Tunisian dollars. An additional $1 is paid for the right to film, and for $20 you can purchase a wonderful film about this interesting place.

Where to stay

The closest hotels to El Jem are in resort town Mahdia, the journey from which will take about 30 minutes.

How to get to El Jem

There are several options by which you can get to the pearl of Tunisia:

By railway from the cities of Sousse and Hammamet. In the first case, belit will cost 4.5 Tunisian dollars, in the second - seven.
On minibus. The costs in this case will be somewhat more modest. A trip from Mehdia will cost 2 Tunisian dollars, from Monastir - 3, and from Sousse - 3.5.
In a rented car. Relatively expensive and unsafe.

The nearest airport is in the capital of Tunisia, Tunis. Air tickets to Tunisia can be purchased

El Jem Tunisia how to get from Sousse. El-Jem

A little history

What to see

Address, opening hours and cost of visiting

Really the best hotel prices

How much does it cost to visit El Jem?

Where to stay

How to get to El Jem

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