Who ruled Leptis Magna?

The Roman emperor Trajan (reigned 98–117 ce) designated Leptis a colonia (community with full rights of citizenship). The emperor Septimius Severus (193–211 ce), who was born at Leptis, conferred upon it the jus Italicum (legal freedom from property and land taxes) and became a great patron of the city.

What does the arch at Leptis Magna commemorate?

Part of his building programs, erected to celebrate the triumph of the Parthian victories, were two arches in Rome as well as one in Leptis Magna. The commemorative arch of Leptis Magna stands as a testament to the Severan dynasty, military might, urban revitalization as well as divine acceptance.

Who was the Roman Emperor who founded Leptis Magna?

Leptis or Leptis Magna, also known by other names in antiquity, was a prominent city of the Carthaginian Empire and Roman Libya at the mouth of the Wadi Lebdam in the Mediterranean . Originally a 7th-century BC Phoenician foundation, it was greatly expanded under Roman Emperor Septimius Severus (r.

Where was the ancient city of Leptis Magna located?

Buried by sand until the early 20th century, Leptis still preserves traces of early Punic structures near the excavated shell of its amphitheatre (56 ce) and its old forum, the heart of the city in early Roman times. From this nucleus, the city spread westward along the coast and inland to the south.

What did Septimius Severus do to Leptis Magna?

The city reached its peak under the emperor Septimius Severus and became the second city of the province of Africa, underneath the capital Carthage. Being a city of higher power, it started to build monuments and a forum (a street with columns on each side) to connect Leptis Magna to the old part of the city.

Why was Leptis Magna important to the Carthaginians?

North Africa: Carthaginian supremacy. …a part in their wealth, Leptis Magna with its neighbours Sabratha and Oea (Tripoli) became wealthy through trans-Saharan trade; Leptis Magna was the terminus of the shortest route across the Sahara linking the Mediterranean with the Niger River.