From The Big Field Trip – Tunisia, April, 2009

The amphitheater in El Jem is the largest in Africa. We went there on the third of April, 2009. There were many sandstone archways and benches. There was a large arena in the middle, like a football stadium except it was elliptical. In the middle of the oval there was a small opening, about ten by five feet. This was for the gladiators and animals to rise unexpectedly out of. The circumference of this coliseum was 427 meters and seated 6,000 – 7,000 people. It was built in the Third Century AD. El Jem was first built into a hillside and seated 3,000 – 4,000 people, but it grew. It was also the third largest coliseum in the Roman Empire. People who were rich through olive oil trade funded the shows in the amphitheater of El Jem. The senators were seated in the front, equestrians (the people rich enough to own war horses – like knights) came next, then the poor people and women stood in the back.

From The Big Field Trip – Tunisia, April, 2009

I gaze at the many large ancient sandstone arches of the amphitheater of El Jem. As I step inside, my sight becomes dim. I am in one of many vaulted hallways. I squint as I come into the arena. I can imagine people in the sandstone benches 25 feet in front of me cheering. Cruz jumps up and down in the middle of the dirt field, screaming happily. I go over to him and see that he is on a grate. I look down and see a hallway below me. I spy a staircase leading down. I run down to find a large vault. I walk one way to find the tunnel barricaded. Then I walk the other way. There are rooms both on my left and on my right. I can almost see the animals that were kept there 1700 years ago (I sure can smell them – or it might be cat urine). I reach the middle where the grate is. I wave up at Cruz, who laughs happily. I climb up one of many staircases, up to the arena. I reach more sandstone steps leading upward. I run up them and walk up the stair-like benches. At the top I walk on the top bench and look down on the city of El Jem. I run down to the arena, then run to the opposite wall. I go in a vault and climb up the steps, less than half a dozen flights. As I reach the top, the wind blows. I look out at the amphitheater, the city of El Jem, and the olive fields beyond…

From The Big Field Trip – Tunisia, April, 2009

The stone in the coliseum in El Jem and Rome were quarried from the high sea cliffs of El Houaria. Today you can still see the marks where the Romans took out the rock. The Romans did not like the hard top layer of stone; they liked the softer under layer. Only the top of the sea cliffs remain forming an overhang. Some of these have collapsed into the sea. As I walked along the sea cliffs of El Houaria I saw fossilized shells. I remember seeing fossils in the stone of the amphitheater of El Jem.  It amazes me that the Romans could bring stone all the way from Tunisia to Rome and construct an amphitheater that tall, wide and long with the tools of that time.

From The Big Field Trip – Tunisia, April, 2009