Chemtou

Chemtou, ancient Simitthus, lies near the Algerian border in Jendouba governorate. It was famous for its quarries of yellow Numidian marble (giallo antico), among the most prized in the Roman Empire. A museum shows finds from the site, the quarries can be explored, and the remains of a bridge built over the Medjerda under Trajan in AD 112 lie nearby. A Numidian shrine on the Temple Mount is attributed to King Micipsa.

History

A Numidian settlement from the 4th to 5th century BC, then a Roman town, it was abandoned around the 9th to 10th century.

Customs

The site is remote: check the museum’s opening hours before you go.

Food

Services are limited. Eat in Jendouba, about 20 km away.

Best time

March to May and October to November.

About 200 Roman rock reliefs were found on the Temple Mount.