Leptis Magna

The magnificent and archeological city of Leptis Magna, or Lepcis Magna, now known as Lubdah, Lebdah or Labdah,  is a wonderful place to see and is one of the most sought tourist destination in Libya. Being the best preserved Roman city outside Italy and unlike most ancient ruins, its well-preserved remains give a clear picture as to how a complete Roman city would have looked like.

It is located about 120 km east of Tripoli, and only 2 or 3 km east of al-Khoms (khoms or Homs). Its Greek and Latin name Leptis has been linked to the Punic Libqi or  Labqi, which Bates mentioned in association with Ribu or Libu, whence the name Libya itself.   Originally, it was a Berber settlement, well before the arrival of the Phoenicians about 3000 years ago. According to Ibn A'bd al-H'akam (ninth century), the Berber tribe Hawarra, a name closely linked to Zwara, Zwagha and Zwawa by Ibn Khaldun, established themselves at Leptis Magna and to the south of the Syrtis Major. After the destruction of Punic Carthage (a mixed colony of Berbers and Phoenicians), the three cities of Zawagha (Sabratha), Oea (Tripoli) and Leptis Magna (Lebdah)  were incorporated into the Berber Kingdom of Numidia, before they were finally engulfed by the Roman invaders, where Leptis Magna became part of the Roman empire in 111BC.

Under the influence of one of its citizens, the Berber Septimius Severus, who became the first African Roman Emperor, the extraordinary city became an important trading port, and enjoyed a monumental architectural development and spectacular splendour, like the beautiful Amphitheatre, the colonnaded street, the Severn Forum, decorated with the Gorgon head, the massive Basilica, the Hippodrome, the Hadrian Baths, the Temples of Liber Pater, Hercules, Roma and Augustus, the Tiberio Arch, the Nimphaeum, the Oea Door, and the Palaestra.

During the second century AD, Rome was in turmoil, where its emperors degenerated into a state of debauchery  and chaos. In the power struggle that ensued after four years of civil war, Septimius Severus rose as a formidable leader. Transferring the seat of power to the frontier provinces, he immediately began to reform the Roman army and thus expanded the empire to include Mesopotamia, while Numidia was made a separate province. His reforms in Africa included exempting Leptis Magna, Carthage and Utica from provincial taxes. Septimius Severus’ sons, contrary to their father's advice shortly before his death, began to fight among themselves and eventually killed each other, bringing the great Severan dynasty to an end.

The Market was originally built in 9 BC and was later rebuilt during the reign of Septimius Severus. The existing Arch of Septimius Severus is a replica of the original arch, which has been moved to Tripoli. The splendid theater by the sea was also built during the Severus dynasty. Its excellent museum houses many important pieces of the city's history, like the mythological Gemini twin Castor and Pollux, some portrait busts found scattered across the ruins, the two Aphrodites from the baths, and the stone elephant.

The nearby Villa Sileen, just west of Leptis Magna, is a place dating back to the Byzantine period. It is one of the must-see places in Libya, especially its Lavish decorations and the highly detailed and intricate mosaics across the Villa's floor, of breathtaking sea nymphs, amphora-helmeted pygmies, and sea hunting-scenes. The villa, situated on a Mediterranean cliff and overlooking the magnificent sea, .was the private home of a wealthy family   from Leptis Magna.