Description

The volume brings together four decades of archaeological and architectural research on the Imperial Cult Temple in the Roman city of Simitthus, Tunisia. Through a collaboration between the Tunisian Department of Antiquities and the German Archaeological Institute, this book presents one of the largest cult complexes of Roman North Africa in detail.
Built during the early years of the Roman Colonia Iulia Augusta Numidica Simithu, now Chimtou, the Imperial Cult Temple featured remarkable architecture in the 1st century BCE. Its ancient design was particularly important to the Italic settlers in Simitthus. The unique decorations are reminiscent of temples from the 4th and 3rd centuries BC in central Italy, which had not been in use for over 200 years. This revival of ancient traditions is also seen in other areas of life in the new province of Africa Proconsularis. The temple's importance is further demonstrated by its expansion under the emperor Septimius Severus, over 100 years later, making it one of the largest Roman temple complexes in Africa. The architectural ensemble includes a unique arch monument at the entrance to the sacred precinct, notable for its three equally sized arches. Detailed analysis of the inscriptions confirms the site's role in the Roman imperial cult.
The seventh volume in this series offers a thorough overview of the temple's archaeology and architecture, providing the first complete reconstruction of its design, plaza, and arch monument within the context of Simitthus' urban development.