Egypt and Libya, March 19 - April 2, 2006 / 20060327b_LeptisMagnaArch
Ruth Milner, rmilner plus web at bookofmarvels dot net
A better view showing the four sides of this
beautiful Roman triumphal arch. The Leptis Magna site covers
about eight square miles, of which roughly one-third has been excavated so far.
It was founded around 1000BC by the Phoenicians, and like Sabratha was a
port city for trading. At its peak, about 80,000 to 100,000 people lived
here. The
Roman emperor Septimius Severus (the only emperor whose native language
was not Latin) was born here; this arch was built to honor him for a visit
in 203AD. It stands at the intersection of the two main streets (N/S, E/W)
and is unusual because most such arches have only two sides.
