The National Institute of Heritage of Tunis and the University of Sassari are research partners for the project "Numluli from forum to Christian basilica. The story of a Roman city in transition, training the next generation of archaeologists in Tunisia's Roman heartland." The project is among the 11 winners of the Expandere Conscientiae Lumen Grant from the Ancient Rome Live platform, organized on behalf of the American Institute for Roman Culture, directed by Darius Arya, with funding from the Elon Musk Foundation.
The first excavation campaign took place in January and February at the municipium of Numluli, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in northern Tunisia, corresponding to the modern site of El Matria in the Governorate of Béja. From September 3rd to October 1st, the Summer School of Archaeology will offer further in-depth research with Tunisian and Italian students under the joint direction of Moheddine Chaouali of the INP and Alessandro Teatini with Antonio Ibba of the University of Turitano.
RESEARCH - The forum with the Capitolium (the temple of the Capitoline Triad) epigraphically dated to 170 AD and the curia, a large courtyard temple, an aqueduct and a thermal complex, a Byzantine fortified structure, a small martyrium (sanctuary dedicated to a Christian martyr) and an early Christian basilica, are the extremely well-preserved buildings that characterize the urban fabric of this Roman city and which will be the subject of the educational research and archaeological excavations carried out with the students.
The discovery in the forum of a marble statue depicting a shepherd accompanied by a sheep and the small figure of Eros aroused interest. The sculpture, exquisitely crafted and in excellent condition, is polychrome: large areas of color remain.
The other important discovery concerned the early Christian basilica, built in the necropolis area around 450 AD. The building's floor is a polychrome mosaic, large portions of which are preserved. Several tombs were carved into the floor. Three inscriptions carved into the mosaic itself have also been discovered, referring to dedications of portions of the floor by members of the Christian community of Numluli. These inscriptions include acclamations to Christ and name kings, evidently Vandals: these are very rare epigraphic references and therefore of great historical value.