The Amphitheatre of El Jem, also known as Qaṣr al-Jamm in Arabic, is an oval amphitheatre located in the modern-day city of El Djem, Tunisia. This area was previously called Thysdrus and was part of the Roman province of Africa. The site has been recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site since 1979.

History

The amphitheatre was built around 238 AD in Thysdrus, located in the Roman province of Africa Proconsularis, which is now El Djem, Tunisia. It is one of the best-preserved Roman stone ruins in the world and is unique in Africa. Like other amphitheatres in the Roman Empire, it was built for events where people watched performances or games. It is one of the largest amphitheatres in the world. Its estimated capacity was 35,000 people, and its major and minor axes measured 148 metres (486 feet) and 122 metres (400 feet), respectively. The amphitheatre was made of stone blocks, built on flat ground, and is exceptionally well preserved.

The amphitheatre of El Jem is the third amphitheatre built in the same location. It is said to have been constructed by the local proconsul Gordian, who later became emperor as Gordian II. However, no proconsul had the authority to build such a structure, and Gordian II's reign was very short, lasting only a few weeks. It is more likely that the young Gordian III was born in Thysdrus on his grandfather Gordian I's estates. As emperor, he may have wanted to improve his hometown by building the amphitheatre, following the example of Emperor Septimius Severus. After Gordian III's death, his successors did not continue the project, so the amphitheatre remained unfinished.

During the Middle Ages, the amphitheatre was used as a fortress. People took shelter there during attacks by the Vandals in 430 AD and the Arabs in 647 AD. In 1695, during the Revolutions of Tunis, Mohamed Bey El Mouradi made a hole in one of the walls to stop the resistance of his brother Ali Bey al-Muradi's followers, who had gathered inside the amphitheatre.

It is believed that the amphitheatre was used as a saltpetre factory in the late 18th and 19th centuries. Around 1850, the wall breach was widened by Ahmad I ibn Mustafa to about 30 metres (98 feet). In the second half of the 19th century, the structure was used for shops, homes, and grain storage.

References in popular culture

This location was shown in movies like Monty Python's Life of Brian and in the TV travel show Long Way Down.

In 1996, the American sportswear company Nike used this place to film a TV commercial called "Good vs Evil." The commercial shows a soccer game that looks like a gladiator match, set in a Roman amphitheater. Football players from around the world, including Eric Cantona, Ronaldo, Paolo Maldini, Luís Figo, Patrick Kluivert, and Jorge Campos, play for "the beautiful game" against a team of demonic players who do not follow the rules. The commercial ends with Cantona receiving the ball from Ronaldo, lifting his shirt collar as he often did, and saying "Au Revoir" before kicking the ball through the demon goalkeeper.

The fourth episode of The Amazing Race 1 ended at the amphitheater.

Gallery

• Sketch from 1833
• Aerial photograph from 1986
• Exterior
• Cavea (seating area)
• Arena (performance area)
• Hypogeum (underground area)
• Closing concert of the 2013 International Symphony Music Festival of El Jem