El Djem

The last stop on our visit to Tunisia was the amazing well preserved Roman amphitheater at El Djem.

It was built in the 3rd Century AD by the Roman consul, Gordian I. Because of the dry arid, climate, it has survived almost intact to the present.

The amphitheater was used for gladiator shows and chariot races. Here is the staging area underneath. It also has a working well.

The amphitheater could hold up to 35,000 spectators, the third largest in the Roman Empire.

The amphitheater might not actually have been finished, but was partially destroyed in the 17th century.

Randomly, here's how dates grow!

A beautiful island off the coast of Tunisia as we embarked on a 26 hour boat ride back to Italy.