Tripolitania

Tripolitania. This delightful moniker is not the name of a Russian hippy-princess, as you might imagine. Rather, it refers to the region of what is now Libya in which were found three of the Roman Empire’s finest cities - Leptis Magna, Sbratha and Oea. Oea is now Tripoli; Sbratha boasts a famous theater; Leptis Magna is widely ranked among the finest Roman archaeological sites in the world. I visited them in all and can now report that I am both brimming with historical information and also a bit burned out on the Romans. Sure, they built beautiful, colonnaded theaters in some of the most beautiful locations in the world, but did they have Starbucks?



My guide/guard delivered me to Leptis Magna and into the supervision of a site-specific guide. It is impossible to see any of this site without chaperone, it appears. In fact, groups of more than six people are required to have police escorts. There were scarcely any tourists on site, however, so I didn’t notice a police presence. I climbed to the top of theater stairs, monuments and statues. And I learned.



But I didn’t learn as much as my guide would have liked. This is because I was feeling like a complete smarty-pants and decided to show off my knowledge of Roman history and mythology (Thanks high school Latin!). He began by lecturing me on the Roman pantheon and my boredom soon became apparent on my face. So he took to quizzing me on certain gods, trying to trip me up. “This is Janus,” he said, indicating one of many statues in the museum. “You know him?” And I did! But I was nonchalant: “Oh, sure, the Roman god of agriculture.” After that, the guide started what became his favorite refrain: “You know everything, what do you need me for?”



Him: “We have shows in this theater on September 1st, it’s an important anniversary.” Me: “Oh, sure, the anniversary of September 1, 1969, when Qadaffi came to power.” Him: “You know everything!” Etc.



I didn’t need him for information. Nor did I need his compliments and come-ons. But I did need him to show me the best way around the site. The area is huge and largely excavated. There is a theater, an amphitheater, a market, an agora, a bath and on and on. The harbor is still even partially extant, and the Mediterranean sea laps quietly at the nearby shore.



The arch of Septimus Severus:

The next day, I visited Sbratha, which was both slightly less impressive and slightly more crowded - a strange combination. My site guide here insisted that everything was beautiful. “This most beautiful statue,” here and “Beautiful tilework” there and “Look at this beautiful rock! It is most beautiful, perhaps you would like to take a picture?”

So I took a few:







A tourist could spend weeks visiting ancient sites in Libya. There are Greek cities, and Punic ones too. There’s the great big desert down south (you may have heard of it - it’s known as "the Sahara”), but I didn’t have time to see it. An ancients-oriented adventure would cut out what I found most interesting about the country: the propaganda machine. Every street, many buildings and even garments are adorned by the image of The Leader, The Message, and his Fantastic Wardrobe. Qadaffi’s prowess at posing puts all other world leaders to shame. And did I mention: capes!



"41 is the age of the glory and of freedom."



I saw this commemorative plate in situ in a troglodyte house. MaQ meets BSB!





On my last afternoon, I spent six hours at the airport, staring at the mesmerizing painting below. I think I was a tad hypnotized. I feel the urge to put on a cape right about now, and perhaps also a hat. Please excuse. Most beautiful. Knows-it-all. Ma3 salama!