The ancient city "Thysdrus" or El Jem, with its prestigious Roman Coliseum classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, has become in a few days the epicentre of a destination prized by visitors delighted to live in the footsteps of emperors, praecos, gladiators and craftsmen, recalling the greatness of a city that is one of the jewels of the Tunisian heritage.

With flyers distributed both in Tunisia and abroad, the Roman festival organised on the occasion, has drained since its launch on April 29, a cosmopolitan human tide that came to invest in the mythical place of the Roman amphitheatre of El Jem.

Vibrating to the rhythm of the 6th Roman Days of El Jem ''THYSDRUS'' ending this Monday, May 1, the El Jem amphitheatre, built around the year 238 AD, offered to the curious and passionate fans of history and ancient culture, from all Tunisian regions, foreign visitors and all age groups, a journey back in time through 1800 years of history and memory to discover the richness and diversity of the civilization of the ancestors and Roman culture.

An event held in a dense and diversified programme of this festival placed under the auspices of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and conducted by the association "We love El Jem" with the official sponsorship of the Agency for the Development of Heritage and Cultural Promotion (AMVPPC), the support of 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.

This Roman festival, under the direction of Ridha Hfaiedh, was an opportunity to gather around a series of workshops bringing together Tunisian and foreign craftsmen to deliver through their knowledge and know-how the secrets of Roman techniques in several small ancestral crafts: The making of traditional Roman accessories (antique Roman jewellery, crowns), mosaics, engravings on marble and wood, leather goods, or even minting money, a rather special technique as all the official currencies issued within the Roman Empire were minted.

Source: Agence Tunis Afrique Presse