Mactaris archaeological site

The archaeological site of Mactaris is located in the central west of Tunisia, in Makthar, a city on the northern edge of the Tunisian ridge.

An impressive archaeological heritage

The site is one of the largest in Tunisia and holds a significant portion that has not yet been archaeologically explored. Similar to the site of Bulla Regia, the relative remoteness of the region and the difficult integration into communication networks may have contributed to this.

In addition to the numerous remains housed in an archaeological park (excluding some scattered elements), a small museum showcases various archaeological artifacts discovered on the site.

Monumental monuments and well-preserved ruins

The site is situated on the border between the northwest and central west of Tunisia, 150 kilometers southwest of Carthage and 70 kilometers southeast of Sicca Veneria.

The site is adjacent to the city of Makthar, which is, in a way, a later offshoot of the colonial era, as evidenced by certain buildings (such as the delegation headquarters) and residences with sloping roofs covered in red tiles.

Mactaris is the Latin adaptation of the original place name: Mktrm, which attests to the Libyan origins of the city, as proven by the large number of funerary monuments dating back to this civilization that have been incorporated into the site. This is pretty much all that remains of this period I as a “monumental” legacy.

The founding of the city itself appears to date back to the 1st century BC, with the settlement of Punic or numidized settlers who spread the religion, culture, and art of Carthage in the region. This city continued to exist even after the arrival of the Romans in the early 1st century. However, the main part of its archaeological heritage, considered one of the richest and most beautiful in Tunisia, comes from the Roman period. The city reached its peak in the 2nd and 3rd centuries. Its decline began in the 4th century and accelerated with the invasions of the Vandals and Byzantines.