The Roman Days of El Jem: Relive 1,800 years of ancient history and culture

The thousand-year-old ancient city “Thysdrus” or El Jem, with its prestigious Roman Colosseum classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, has become the epicenter, the species of a few days, a popular destination for visitors delighted to live in the footsteps emperors, praeco, gladiators and artisans, recalling the grandeur of a city that forms one of the jewels of Tunisian heritage.

With flyers distributed both in Tunisia and abroad, the Roman festival, organized on the occasion, has drained since its launch on April 29, 2023, a cosmopolitan human tide came to invest to their heart’s content the mythical place of Roman amphitheater of El Jem.

Vibrant to the rhythm of the sixth Roman Days of El Jem “THYSDRUS” which end on Monday May 1st, the amphitheater of El Jem, erected around the year 238 AD. J.-C, offered knowledgeable, curious and passionate history and ancient culture enthusiasts, from all Tunisian regions, foreign visitors and all age groups, a journey back in time through 1 800 years of history and memory to discover the richness and diversity of the civilization of the ancestors and of Roman culture.

An event served in a fairly dense and diversified program of this festival placed under the aegis of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and carried by the association “We love El Jem” with the official sponsorship of the Association for the enhancement of heritage and cultural promotion (AMVPPC), support from the National Establishment for the Promotion of Festivals and Cultural and Artistic Events (ENPFMCA) and funding from the European Union under the “Tounes Wijhetouna” programme.

Young and old alike were able to attend a variety of shows featuring scenes of gladiatorial or tortured combat, archery, military parades, period costumes, large parades, a show of Roman dance, or a horse race.

Board games such as the mill/cart game (characteristic of the Romans at the time) and demonstrations of Greco-Roman painting which allowed participants to color frescoes in the Roman style were also on the agenda.

Plunging into the history of the traditions and craftsmanship of the Romans, visitors had to browse through a series of rather unique exhibitions, in particular the one on Roman medicine produced in collaboration with a partner loyal to this event, namely the French association “Bagaconervio” (Bavay) made up of a Gallo-Roman reconstruction group from the 2nd century.

But also exhibitions of mosaic works, sculptures, Roman engravings, pottery, Roman funerary masks, several fabric objects made of vegetable fibers, legionary and gladiator packs. Highlighting the richness of this heritage, the organizers have made available to visitors a sales area for local products, “the market made El Jem” where a tasting of local products has also been offered.

This Roman festival, under the direction of Ridha Hfaiedh, was an opportunity to bring together around a series of workshops bringing together Tunisian and foreign artisans to deliver thanks to their knowledge and know-how the secrets of Roman techniques in several small trades. ancestral: manufacture of traditional Roman accessories (ancient Roman jewellery, crowns), mosaics, engravings on marble and on wood, leather articles, or even minting coins, a rather particular technique since all the official coins issued within the Roman Empire are minted.

Flower, bursa (from the Latin for leather), minting or clay workshops, everyone leaves with a souvenir of a unique and creative experience. With a crown of flowers for women or an emperor’s crown for men, a Roman purse, a legionary or galea helmet, or even a work of hand-kneaded pottery (argilla), we are already demonstrating with as much memories of El Jem 2023, the desire to return there for other discoveries, other sensations and experiences, and other appointments in one of the beautiful sites which is already preparing to adorn itself with all its beauty to host the great summer event of the summer, the 36th edition of the International Festival of Symphonic Music of El Jem, which over time and since its creation in 1986, has succeeded in seducing here and elsewhere by the splendor of the monument and the beauty of the music, which adorns it for a month (July-August).