Ruins of Ancient Sabratha

A stormy looking day as we drive from Tripoli to Sabratha in December 2010	Sabratha - UNESCO World Heritage Site	Ruins of the Ancient Roman City of Sabratha - World Heritage Site since 1982	LIbyan post box - Sabratha
View of the ruined city of Sabratha looking west from the top of the Roman theatre	Ruins of the Theater Baths adjacent to the ancient Roman Theater	The Forum of Sabratha's tallest colums standing out against the blue Mediterranean Sea	A forest of columns marks the site of the ancient Roman forum of Sabratha
A break in the clouds illuminates the Seaward Baths on a small cliff overlooking the Mediterranean	Lone column with the sea near the theater, Sabratha	The Romans arrived in Sebratha in the 2nd-3rd C. AD	Ancient residential quarter of left outside when the Byzantine walls were constructed in the 6th C.
The Roman Cardo leads to the center of ancient Sabratha	Temple of Liber Pater (Temple of Dionysos), Sabratha	Ruins of Sabratha's forum overlooked by the Capitoleum, the Temple of Jupiter	A pair of columns in the old Residential Quarter
Path leading from the Residential Quarter towards the Mausoleum of Bes	Original plaster and a pair of alcoves inside the ruins of a house	Roman mosaic floor left in situ, Residential Quarter, Sabratha	Roman mosaic floor, Sabratha
Detail of the mosaic floor in the Residential Quarter of Sabratha	Ruins of the Residential Quarter, Sabratha	Near the Residential Quarter is the Mausoleum of Bes, a well known monument in Sabratha	The Mausoleum of Bes, dismantled by the Byzantines, was re-erected by 20th C. archaeologists
Mausoleum of Bes, 2nd C. BC - Punic	Mausoleum of Bes at Sabratha, 24m tall	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha
Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	Eroded figure of Bes after which the mausoleum is named (copy-original in museum)	The lions on the Mausoleum of Bes are modern copies - the originals are in the Punic Museum of Sabratha	Lion protecting the Mausoleum of Bes
Lion guardian, Mausoleum of Bes	Lion guardian, Mausoleum of Bes	Ruins at the base of the Punic Mausoleum (B), Sabratha	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha
Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	A highly eroded relief of Hercules is in the center	Column detail, Mausoleum of Bes	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha
Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	Another monument near the Punic Mausoleum of Bes	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha
Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	Mausoleum of Bes, Sabratha	Ruins of the Residential Quarter, Sabratha	The excavated street level of Sabratha is below the level of the modern walkway, Sabratha
Crossing the Byzantine Walls (6th C.) you enter Sabratha's town center	The center of Sabratha with the forum and numerous temples	The four columns easily identify the Temple of Liber Pater (Dionysos)	Sabratha was established by the Phoenicians around 500 BC
The Temple of Liber Pater was destroyed by earthquake in 365 AD and never rebuilt	An ancient Roman road leads to the center of Sabratha	An ancient Roman road leads to the center of Sabratha	Ancient Sabratha's forest of pillars
Fallen capital, Sabratha	The center of Ancient Sabratha	The Southern Temple of Sabratha, dedicated to an unknown divinity	Marble brick floor with a herringbone pattern, Sabratha
An ornately carved stone panel, Sabratha	A capital which has lost its column, Sabratha	A section of floor paved with large marble slabs	To the east of the forum is the Antonine Temple
The elevated Antonine Temple dedicated to the Roman Emperor Antonius Pius (r. 138-161)	Headless statue of Flavius Tullus, 2nd Century benefactor of Sabratha	Statue of Flavius Tullus, Sabratha	Statue of Flavius Tullus, Sabratha
A heavily restored column, Sabratha	Temple of Liber Pater, Sabratha	Cracked paving tiles of one of the Sabratha temples	A ray of light shines through the dark clouds behind the silhouette of a lone column at Sabratha
Maybe the sun will come out today!	Temple of Liber Pater from atop the Antonine Temple, Sabratha	Statue and original Roman roads, Sabratha	Temple of Liber Pater, Sabratha
An arch segment left standing, Sabratha	Looking southeast with Temple of Liber Pater on the left	Temple of Liber Pater, Sabratha	Archway of the 4th Century Curia, Sabratha
Latin inscription at the Curia, Sabratha	After the devastating earthquake of 365 AD, Sabratha became a much smaller city, only partially rebuilt by the Byzantines	The House of Leda, 2nd C. AD, Sebratha	The House of Leda is on the left side of the road
Panoramic view of the central ruins of Sebratha	Steps leading up to the Basilica of Justinian to the north of the Curia, identified by its arch	Steps leading up to the Basilica of Justinian	After the Arab conquest of North Africa, Sabratha faded into obscurity
The Basilica of Justinian, 527-565 AD, Sebratha	Ruins of the city center of Sabratha	Column of the Basilica of Justinian, Sebratha	Column of the Basilica of Justinian
Curia Arch with the Punic Mausoleum in the distance	Oil Press Street, Sabratha	Stone vat, Oil Press Street, Sabratha	Oil Press Street, Sabratha
Seaside Ruins by the Old Port, Sabratha	Oil Press Street, Sabratha	Oil Press Street, Sabratha	Oil Press Street, Sabratha
Oil Press Street, Sabratha	Temple of Liber Pater, Sabratha	Temple of Liber Pater, Sabratha	Ancient Latrine, Sabratha
Ancient Latrine, Sabratha	Ancient Latrine, Sabratha	The Romans apparently invented the sit-down toilet	Roman road passing by the ancient Latrine, Sabratha
Seaward Baths (Ocean Baths), Sabratha	Eroded arch of the Seaward Baths, Sabratha	Eroded arch of the Seaward Baths, Sabratha	Seaward (Ocean) Baths, Sabratha
Seaward (Ocean) Baths, Sabratha	Seaward (Ocean) Baths, 2nd C. AD	Seaward (Ocean) Baths, Sabratha	Statue overlooking a pool of the Seaward Baths, Sabratha
Statue overlooking a pool of the Seaward Baths, Sabratha	Seaward Baths, 2nd C. AD, Sabratha	Female statue in flowing garment, Seaward Baths	Mosaic floor, Seaward Baths
Mosaic floor of the Seaward Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic floor of the Seaward Baths, Sabratha	Seaward Baths, Sabratha	Seaward Baths, Sabratha
Looking east along the coast of Sabratha towards the Temple of Isis	Roman Road near the Seaward Baths	Roman Road, now mostly dirt path, Sabratha	Interesting white stones, perhaps a highly eroded statue, Sabratha
Theater District of Sabrtha	Theater Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic floor, Theater Baths	Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha
Stone bench and mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Stone bench and mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Theater Baths, Sabratha
These must have been grand back in the Roman times	Mosaic floor missing a portion, Sabratha	Small pool, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Small pool, Theater Baths, Sabratha
Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Roman mosaic with a swastika, Theater Baths, Sabratha
Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic design, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Theater Baths, Sabratha	Well or cistern, Theater Baths, Sabratha
Well or cistern, Theater Baths, Sabratha	Theater Baths, Sabratha	Theater Baths, Sabratha	Mosaic floor, Theater Baths, Sabratha
Theater Baths, Sabratha	Carved bust near the theater, Sebratha	Carved bust near the theater, Sebratha	Stairs leading to an upper level no longer in existence, Sabratha
Peristyle House, Sabratha	Peristyle House, Sabratha	Peristyle House, Sabratha	Peristyle House with mosaic, Sabratha
Mosaic of the Peristyle House, Sabratha	Mosaic of the Peristyle House, Sabratha