Sbeitla
Sbeitla, the Roman and Byzantine city of Sufetula, has a Capitolium of three temples standing side by side on a raised platform, an unusual arrangement in Roman architecture. It also has an arch of Diocletian, a theatre and baths. Tunisia added it to its World Heritage Tentative List in 2021.
- Time on our journeys
- Half a day
- Region
- Kairouan
- On our journeys
- Four of our six private journeys
Visiting Sbeitla
Sbeitla was the Roman city of Sufetula, in the province of Africa Proconsularis, and it thrived through the Roman and Byzantine periods. Under the Byzantines it served as a military outpost. In Roman times olive trees were cultivated in the region and gave it a flourishing olive oil export trade to Italy. The sheets say the site seems to be in the middle of nowhere, and that you have plenty of time to explore it.
The ruins are well preserved and give a comprehensive view of Roman and Byzantine architecture and urban planning. The Capitolium is a complex of three temples dedicated to Jupiter, Juno and Minerva, aligned side by side on a raised platform. The forum was the public square, with civic and religious buildings around it. The Arch of Diocletian is a triumphal arch commemorating the emperor. The baths and the theatre are well preserved, the Byzantine period left churches and basilicas, and mosaics survive from both periods.
Sbeitla is not inscribed by UNESCO. Tunisia added the site to its Tentative List for World Heritage status in 2021.
On the eight, ten and eleven day journeys Sbeitla sits between Kairouan and Tozeur: you drive south west from Kairouan, spend time at the site and arrive in Tozeur late in the day. On the archaeological journey it follows Dougga, on the way to Kairouan.
What to see
- The Capitolium, three temples side by side on a raised platform
- The Arch of Diocletian
- The forum
- The theatre
- The baths
- The Byzantine churches and basilicas
- The mosaics
Journeys that include Sbeitla
Four of our seven journeys visit Sbeitla. The day by day, the hotels and the price are on each journey's own page.
- From Carthage to Kairouan7 days, 6 nights. Reached on day 4.$2,190 a person, double occupancy
- The Splendors of Tunisia8 days, 7 nights. Reached on day 4.$2,190 a person, double occupancy
- Tunisia's Marvels10 days, 9 nights. Reached on day 5.$2,550 a person, double occupancy
- The Wonders of Tunisia11 days, 10 nights. Reached on day 5.$3,150 a person, double occupancy
Along the way in Kairouan
North Africa's oldest Islamic city, and a mosque reputed to be the oldest on the continent.
SbeitlaYou are here. Half a day.
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