About This Site
The Neapolis archaeological site lies on the Tunisian coast. It sits two kilometers southwest of Nabeul’s city center. Neapolis is one of the rare Maghreb cities with a Greek name. Thucydides mentions it as early as the 5th century BC. It is the oldest city cited after Carthage. The same texts confirm its importance during the Punic period. Lucius Calpurnius Piso destroyed it in 148 BC.
Caesar or Augustus elevated the city to colony rank. Certain inscriptions still testify to its economic prosperity until the 5th century. The latest data on the city relate to bishops until 646.
Neapolis Archaeological Site, garum production and ancient remains
This economic prosperity relied mainly on garum production. The Romans highly appreciated this condiment made from fish. In July 365, a major earthquake struck the city. It caused a tidal wave that submerged an entire part of the city. In 2017, an Italian-Tunisian archaeological mission discovered the remains (about twenty hectares).
First excavations in 1965 revealed an industrial complex from the Roman era. This complex manufactured garum. They also discovered a residential area with houses paved with superb mosaics. Some mosaics remain on site. Others are exhibited in the Nabeul museum.
A site enhancement program took place from 1996 to 2002. The National Heritage Institute and the Heritage Enhancement and Cultural Promotion Agency carried it out. The agency restored the layout of the walls. Workers also covered the porticos of the galleries of the salting basins. In addition, they repaired the paving of the decumanus. Finally, they opened a new room at the Nabeul museum devoted to the site.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Neapolis (Greek for "new city") was a Greek-influenced coastal city located 2 km southwest of modern Nabeul. It was documented by Thucydides in the 5th century BC and became an important centre for garum (fermented fish sauce) production in the Roman period.
A major earthquake and tsunami struck the eastern Mediterranean in 365 AD, submerging large parts of Neapolis. An Italian-Tunisian archaeological mission discovered approximately 20 hectares of the ancient city underwater in 2017, making it one of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries in the region.
On land near Nabeul, visitors can see the partially excavated remains including mosaic pavements, thermal baths, and the garum (fish sauce) vat installations that produced one of the Roman Empire's most valued condiments.
The underwater section of Neapolis is an active scientific survey area. Recreational diving access is not yet systematically organised, but the discovery has generated significant interest in developing underwater heritage tourism at the site.
The site is about 2 km southwest of Nabeul town centre, near the modern coastal road. Nabeul is easily reached from Tunis by train (about 70 km), and the site is accessible by taxi from the town centre.
Nabeul is Tunisia's ceramics capital, famous for hand-painted pottery and tiles. Its Friday market is one of the largest in the country. Cap Bon's beaches, Kerkouane, and Hammamet are all within easy reach.
