Nearly as big as the Colosseum of Rome but better preserved and more sophisticated, the amphitheatre of El Jem has, at all times, fascinated the laymen as well as the experts. That such a gigantic edifice was implanted in a setting so radically different from that of Rome was greatly intriguing for everyone.

This magnificent "Colosseum" taking root "in the open desert", was it the outcome of the whim of some emperor longing for crankiness and trying to challenge logic or to glorify, in his own way and for ever, the power of Rome? Definitely, we are left today with the different speculations on the real purpose of such an impressive architectural work still wrapped in much doubt.

Dwarfing the modest dwellings of the modern township which seems to hug at its feet, the amphitheatre of El Jem draws attention to itself as irresistibly as the pyramids of Egypt, emerging halfway between Sousse and Sfax on the straight road that unwinds like a steel ribbon in a monotonous landscape where drowsiness awaits the traveller. As a perfect symbol of the staggering ascension of the ancient city, the amphitheatre has completely transformed the soft and monotonous landscape of the plateau of El Jem. Regarded as one of the world's marvels, it represents a distinctive mark of Roman Africa. It has captivated the visitors over the centuries through its fair proportions, its imposing architecture as well as its stones's faded gilt and warm hues always shining in the sun. So much so, an enthusiastic French author wrote, about one century ago, in "La Revue des deux Mondes": "It is impossible to say, while gazing at the amphitheatre of El Jem, that Roman art does not exist".